iinnzini  !=!i:>i  i^ 


^^ommwi'^ 


"^^o-mmin^      ^smwrn"^     '^^/smm-': 


.^WE•UNIVER5•/A 


^lOSANGElfj> 


'^/5a3AINn-3WV^ 


^;5^l•LlBRARYQ^  ^UIBRAR^ 


'^MIWDJO'^       ^milV3- 


g 


.^\\EUNIVER% 


vvlOSANCEl% 


^OFCALIFO/?^       ^OFCALIFC 


<rii30NVSoi^^     "^Aii^AiNn^wv^       "^^^^AbVaaiH^"^     "^^Aavaaii 


^^t-LlBRARYQ^       ^ILIBRARYQr^ 


^TOIIVDJO^ 


^mnvj-jo"^ 


^WEUNIVER^//, 


vvlOSANGEI 


%a3AiNa- 


^OFCALIFO/?^.        ^. 


^OFCALIFO/?^ 


,^WE•UNIVERS/A 

OS 

f 


,^Wt•UNIVER% 


o 
^WEUNIVERVa 


o 


^lOSANCElfx^ 


-< 

%a3AiNn]v\v^ 


^vWSANGElfj^ 


"^/saaAiNn-awv 


^^^l•LIBRARYQ/:         -v>jNlLIBRAR' 


\o:inv3Jo'^ 

^•OFCALIFO/?^ 


^,OFCALIF( 


'^<:?AyvyaiH^^     ^^Abvaan 


.a\:.IIRPARV/0/ 


.v^?IIRRARV/Oy 


\\AFIJNIVER5'/A 


.vlOSANCE 


i  Ml  I  Ml  p^i  1^1 

>&AavHaii-#      >t?AavaaiH^^        <rii30NVS0i^      "Va^AiNnmv 


^WEUNIVERVA 


I 


o 


%a3AINn-3Wv 


-^ILIBRARYO^ 


^<tfOJIlVDJO^ 


^«!/OJIlVJJO^ 


^MEUNIVER% 


CO 
> 


•i^ilDNVSOl^ 


]]AiNa]WV 


^v^mmj^. 


^(?Aiivaan# 


^OFCAIIFO/?^ 

o 


^c?AyvaaiT^^ 


^ILIBRARYO^ 


^UIBRARYOc 


^({/OJIIVOJO'^      ^<?/0JllV3JO^ 


AWEUNIVER% 


CD 


o 


'^Aa3AINn-3WV^ 


<<.0FCALIF0/?4^       ^OFCAIIFO/?^  ^^WE  UNiVERS//) 


v^lOSANCEL% 


^^(^A^ViiaiH^^  <rii30NVS01^'^       %a3AINa-3WV 


\WEUNIVERVa 


^lOSANGELfj> 


"^AdaAiNamv^ 


-^ILIBRARYO^^ 


-^t-LIBRARYQ^ 


.  ^\\E  UNIVERy/A 


o 


.OFCAilFO/?^ 


AiNn]W^ 


^OFCAIIFO/?^ 

CD         OS    11    /  >.^    \    O 


'    ^ 


ALCIPHRON, 


OR  THE 


MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER. 


IN   SEVEN  DIALOGUES. 


CONTAINING  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  AGAINST  THOSE 
WHO  ARE  CALLED  FREE-THINKERS. 


3.         \^- 


By  GEORGE    BERKLEY,  d.  d. 

Author  of  a  Treatife  concerning  the  principles  cf  Human  Knoivledge^  and  various 
other  Worksy  chiefly  in  defence  of  CbrifHanity^  <^g°'i^fl  Athe'fls  and  Jnfldds. 


They  have  forfaken  me  the  Fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cifterns, 
broken  citterns,  that  can  hold  no  water.     Jerem.  ii.   13. 

Sin  mortuus,  ut  quidam  minuti  Philofophi  cenfent,  nihil  fentiam,  non  vereor  ne  hunc 
errorem  meiim  mortui  Philofophi  irrideant.         Cicero. 

THE  FIRST  AMERICAN,  FROM  THE  FOURTH  LONDON  EDITION. 


For  increase  COOKE  &  Co.^New-Haven, 


6 

CHARACTER    OF   THE    WORK. 

THE  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER  is  an  able  defence  of  Divine  Revelation.  The  vvri- 
ter  is  the  celebrated  BERKLEY,  Bifhop  of  Cloyne;  univr.rfally  confidered  as  one  of  the 
firft  Philofophers,  who  have  appeared  in  any  age,  or  country.  For  the  difcuffion  of  this 
fubjed  he  was  better  qualified  than  almoft  any  other  man,  by  his  pre-eminent  talents, 
both  natural  and  acquired  ;  particularly  by  his  great  learning  and  fingular  powers  of 
reafoning.  This  work  is  an  illuftrious  proof  of  thofe  talents,  and  may  be  coniiddred  as 
a  ftore-houfe,  whence  many  fucceeding  writers  have  drawn  their  materials,  and  their 
arguments.  The  Minute  Philofopher  confids  of  a  feries  of  dialogues,  involving  mod 
of  the  important  topics  in  the  debate  between  Chriilians  and  Infidels  ;  the  principal 
arguments  by  v,-hich  Chriftianity  is  defended,  and  the  principal  objedions  with  which 
it  has  been  oppofed.  The  reafoning  is  clear,  found,  and  conclufive ;  and  has  never 
been  anfwered.  The  charaders  of  the  difputants  are  well  chofen,  and  ably  fupported ; 
and  their  converfation  is  fpirited  and  nr.tnral.  The  work  is  of  courfe  highly  entertain- 
ing, as  well  as  convincing.  In  the  charader  of  Euphrannr,  particularly,  the  wTiter  has 
given,  perhaps,  the  beft  example  of  the  Socratic  manner  of  reafoning,  which  can^be 
found.  Warton  obferves,  that  the  club,  compofed  of  Pope,  Swift,  Bolingbroke,  &c.  re- 
garded this  work,  in  fpiteof  the  prejudices  of  fome  of  them,  as  a  mafterly  performance  ; 
not  indeed,  when  firft  prefented  to  them,  for  they  did  not  underftand  it ;  but  afterwards, 
when  thoroughly  explained  by  its  Author,  who  knev^r  more  of  this,  and  moil  other 
moral  fubjeds,  than  all  of  them  united. 

In  a  word.  The  MLiute  Pliilofopher  may  be  confidently  recommended,  as  a  perform- 
ance of  the  firft  merit,  to  all,  who  love  to  read  the  beft  reafonings,  on  the  moft  im- 
portant fubjeds. 

TIMOTH'/  DWIGHT. 


Yale  College,! 


Dec.  23,  iSoz. 
©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©30©©©©©©© 


941CJ.9 


==*^ 


ADVE  RTISEMENT 


^  HE  Author's  defign  being  to  confider  the  free- 
thinker'hi  the  various  lights  of  ^.theift,  libertine,  enthufi- 
aft,  fcorner,  critic,  metaphyfician,  fatalift,  and  fceptic,  it 
muft  not  therefore  be  imagined,  that  every  one  of  thefe 
charaaers  agrees  with  every  individual  free-thinker,  no 
more  being  implied,  than  that  each  part  agrees  with  fome 
or  other  of  the  feft.     There  may  poiTibly  be  a  reader  who 
ihall  think  the  charader  of  atheia  agrees  with  none  :  But 
though  it  hath  been  often  faid,  there  is  no  fuch  thing  as  a 
fpeculative  atheift  •,  yet  we  muft  alldw,  there  are  feveral 
atheifts  wliu  prctciad  to  fpeculation.     This  the   author 
knows  to  be  true  ;   and  is  well  aflured,  that  nnp  nf  the  moft 
noted  writers  againft  chrlftianity  in  our  times,  declared  he 
had  found  out  a  demonftration  againft  the  being  of  a  God, 
And  he  doubts  not,  whoever  will  be  at  the  pains  to  inform 
himfelf,  by  a  general  converfation,  as  well  as  books,  of  the 
principles  and  tenets  of  our  modern  free-thinkers,  will  fee 
too  much  caufe  to  be  perfuaded  that  nothing  in  the  enfu- 
ing  charaders  is  beyond  the  life. 

As  the  author  hath  not  Confined  himfelf  to  write  againft 
books  alone,  fo  he  thinks  it  neceffary  to  make  this  decla- 
ration. It  muft  net  therefore  be  thought,  that  authors 
are  mifreprefented,  if  every  notion  of  Aldphronox  Lyf.cks 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

is  not  found  preclfely  in  them.  A  gentleman,  in  private 
conference,  may  be  fuppofed  to  fpeak  plainer  than  others 
write,  to  improve  on  their  hints,  and  draw  concluGons 
from  their  principles. 

Whatever  they  pretend,  it  is  the  author's  opinion,  that 
all  thofe  who  write  either  explicitly  or  by  infmuation 
againft  the  dignity,  freedom,  and  immortality  of  the  hu- 
man foul,  may  fo  far  forth  be  juftly  faid  to  unhinge  the 
principles  of  morality,  and  deflroy  the  means  of  making 
men  reafonably  virtuous.  Much  is  to  be  apprehended 
from  that  quarter  againft  the  intercfts  of  virtue.  Wheth- 
er the  apprehenfion  of  a  certain  admired  writer,*  that  the 
caufe  of  virtue  is  likely  to  fufFer  lefs  from  its  witty  antago- 
nifts,  than  from  its  tender  nurfes,  who  are  apt  to  overlay 
it,  and  kill  it  with  excefs  of  care  and  cherifhing,  and  make 
it  a  mercenary  thing  by  talking  fo  much  of  its  rewards  : 
whether,  1  lay,  this  apprehenfion  be  fo  well  founded,  the 
reader  may  determine.        ^  * 

*  ^Jfa^  on  the  freedom  of  -wit  and  fmmort  Part  II,  Sed;  3. 


THE 


CONTENTS. 


..<»<..<..<..<Q>...^^^>«..<Q>..>..>~>..>" 


The     first     DIALOGUE. 

SECT.    I.   IntroduBion, 
^.  Aim  and  Endeavors  of  Free-thinkers, 

3 .  Oppofed  by  the  Clergy. 

4.  Liberty  of  Free-thinking, 

5.  Farther  Account  of  the  VieivS  of  Free-thinkers, 

6.  The  Progrefs  of  a  Free-thinker  toivards  Atheifm, 

7.  Joint  Impojiure  of  the  Priejl  and  Magijirate, 

8.  The  Free-thinker^ s  Method  in  making  Converts  and  Dif- 
coveries. 

9.  The  Atheifl  alone  Free,      His  Senfe  of  natural  Good  and 
Evil. 

10.  Modern    Free-thinkers    more    properly    named  Minute 
Philofophers. 

1 1 .  Minute    Philofophers^    what  fort  of    Men^    and  how 
educated, 

12.  Their  Numbers,  Progrefs,  and  Tenets. 

13.  Compared  with  other  Philofophers* 

14.  What  Things  and  Notions  to  be  efleemed  Natural. 

15.  Truth  the  fame,  mtivithflanding  Diverfty  of  Opinion:. 

16.  Rule  and  Msafure  of  moral  Truths. 


viii  CONTENTS.     ^ 

The    second    DIALOGUE. 

Se6t.    I .    Vulgar  Error y  That  Vice  is  hurtful. 

2.  'The  Benefit  of  Drunkennefsy  Gaming  and  Whoring. 

3 .  Prejudice  againjl  Vice  ivearing  off. 

4.  Its  UJefulnefs  illufirated  in  the  Infiances  of  Callicles  and 
Telefiila. 

5.  The  Reafoning  of  LyGcles  in  behalf  of  Vice  examined. 

6.  IVrong  to  punifh  Acfions  when  the  DoCirines  whence  the^ 
fionv  are  tolerated. 

7.  Hazardous  Experiment  of  the  Minute  Philofophers, 

8.  Their  DoFtrine  of  Circulation  and  Revolution, 

9.  Their  fenfe  of  a  Reformation. 

I  o.   Riches  alone  not  the  Public  Weal. 

11.  Authority   of  Minute  Philofophers  :    Their   Prejudice 
agai?ifi  Religion. 

12.  EffeBs  of  Luxury  :    Virtue,  whether  notional  i' 

1 3 .  Pleafure  of  Senfe. 

14.  What  fort  of  Pleafure  mofl  natural  to  Man. 

15.  Dignity  of  Human  Nature. 

16.  Pleafure  miftaken. 

17.  AmufementSy  Mifery,  and  Cowardife   of  Minute  Philo- 
fophers. 

1 8.  Rakes  cannot  reckon. 

19.  Abilities  and  Succefs  of  Minute  Philofophers. 

20.  Happy  EffeBs  of  the   Minute   Philofophy  in  particular 
Infiances, 

21.  Their  free  Notions  about  Goverfimetit. 

22.  England  the  proper  Soil  for  Alinute  Philofophy. 

23.  The  Policy  and  Addrefs  of  its  Profejfors. 

24.  Merit  of  Minute  Philofophers  towards  the  Public. 

25.  Their  Notions  and  Character. 

26.  Their  Tendency  towards  Popery  and  Slavery. 

The    third    DIALOGUE. 

Sect.    I.    Alciphron'j-  account  of  Honor. 
2.   CharaBer  and  ConduB  of  Men  of  Honor. 


CONTENTS.  IX 

3 .  Senfe  of  moral  Beauty, 

4.  The  Honejium  or  to  kalon  of  the  Ancients, 

5.  Tafle  for  moral  Beauty  whether  a  fure  Guide  or  Rule. 

6.  Minute  Philofephers  ravijfjed  ivith  the  Abjlradl  Beauty 
of  Virtue. 

7.  Their  Virtue  alone  difinterefled  and  heroic. 

8.  Beauty  of  fenfthle  ObjeBsy  what,  and  how  perceived* 

9.  The  Idea  of  Beauty  explained  by  Painting  and  Architect 
ture. 

'10.   Beauty  of  the  moral  Syjlem^  wherein  it  confifls. 

11.  It  fuppofeth  a  Providence. 

12.  Influence  of  to  kalon  and  to  prepon. 

13.  Enthuftafm  o/'Cratylus  compared  with  the  Sentiments  of 
Ariftotle. 

14.  Compared  with  the  Stoical  Principles. 

15.  Minute  Philofephers  y  their  Talent  for  Raillery  and  Rid- 
icule. 

16.  The  Wifdom  of  thofe   who  make  Virtue  alone  its  own 
Reward. 

The    fourth    DIALOGUE. 

Se£t.    I.   Prejudices  concerning  a  Deity. 

2.  Rules  laid  down  by  Alciphron  to  be  cbferved  in  proving 
a  God. 

3.  What  fort  of  Proof  he  expeBs. 

4.  Whence  we  colkB  the  Being  of  other   Thinking  Indi- 
viduals. 

5.  The  fame  Method  a  ioxtion  proves  the  Being  of  God. 

6.  AlciiphYon's  fecond  Thoughts  on  this  Point. 

7.  Gcdf peaks  to  Men. 

8.  How  Diftance  is  perceived  by  Sight. 

9.  The  proper  ObjeEls  of  Sight  at  no  dlflance. 

10.  Lights y   Shades^  and  Colours^  varioufy  combined  form  a 
Lan^uacre. 

1 1.  The  Signification  of  this  Langiinge  learned  by  Experiejice. 

1 2.  God  explaiTieth  himfelfto  the  Eyes  of  Men  by  the  arbitrary 
Ufe  offenfble  Signs. 


X  CONTENTS. 

13.  The  Prejudice  and  two-fold  AfpeB  of  a  Minute  Phik" 
fopher, 

14.  Gcd  prefentto  Mankind^  informsyadmomfhesy  and  direBs 
them  in  afetftble  manner. 

15.  Admirable  Nature  <ind  Ufe  of  this  vifual  Language, 

1 6.  Minute  Philofophers  content  to  admit  a  God  in  certain 
Se?ifes. 

17.  Opinion  of  fome,  ivho  hold  that  Knoiv ledge  and  Wifdom 
ar£  not  properly  in  God. 

1 8.  Dangerous  Tendency  of  this  Notion. 

19.  Its  Original. 

20.  The  Senfe  of  Schoolmen  upon  it, 

21.  Scholaflic  Ufe  of  the  terms  Analogy   and  Analogical  eX" 
plained :  Analogical  PerfeElions  of  God  mifunderflood. 

22.  God  intelligent y  nvifcy  and  goody  in  the  proper  Senfe  of  the 
Words. 

23.  OhjeBionfrom  moral  Evil  confidered. 

24.  Men  argue  from  their  own  DefeBs  againfl  a  Deity. 

25.  Religious  Worfhip  reafonable  and  expedient. 

The    fifth    DIALOGUE. 

Seft.    I.   Minute  Philofophers  join  in  the  Cryy  atid  follow 
the  Scent  of  others. 

2.  Worfhip  prefcribed  by  the  Chriflian  Religon  fuitable  to  God 
a?id  Man. 

3.  Potver  and  Influence  of  the  Druids. 

4.  Excellency  and  Ufefulnefs  of  the  Chrifnan  Religion^ 

5.  It  ennobles  Mankind,  and  makes  them  happy. 

6.  Religion  neither  Bigotry  nor  Superflition. 

7.  Phyficians  and  Phyfic  for  the  Soul. 

8.  CharaEter  of  the  Clergy. 

9.  Natural  Religion  and  Human  Reofon  not  to  he  difparaged. 
I  o.   To^dency  and  Ufe  of  the  Gentile  Religion. 

1 1 .  Good  EjfeCis  of  Chrifliarnty 

12.  Englifiimen  compared  with  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans. 

1 3 .  The  modern  Praclice  of  Dueling. 

14.  CharaEfer  of  the  Old  Romans,  ho%v  to  he  formed. 


CONTENTS,  xi 

15.  Genuine  Fruits  of  the  Go/pel. 

1 6.  Wars  and  FaBions  fiot  an  Effect  of  the  Chriflian  Religion, 

1 7.  Civil  Rage  and  Maffacrees  in  Greece  and  Rome. 

18.  Virtue  of  ancient  (jx^^^. 

19.  ^larrels  of  Polemical  Divines. 

Q.Q,  Tyranny y    Ufnrpation^   Sophi/lry  of  Ecclefiajlics, 

21.  The  Univerfities  cenfured. 

22.  Divine  Writings  of  a  certain  modern  Critic, 

23.  Learning  the  Fff eel  of  Religion. 

24.  Barbarifm  of  the  Schools, 

25.  Refloration  of  Learning  and  polite  Arts,  to  whom  oiuing. 

26.  Prejudice  and  Ingratitude  of  Minute  Philofophers, 
37.   Their  PreteJifions  and  CofiduB  inconftftent. 

28.  ]M[en  and  Brutes  compared  with  refpecl  to  Religion. 

29.  ChriJ}ia?iity  the  only  Means  to  ejlahlifh  Natural  Religion, 

30.  Free-thinkers  mijlake  their   Talents;   have  a flrong  Ima- 
gination. 

3 1 .  Tithes  and  Church- Lands. 

32.  Men  dijlinguifhedfrom  Human  Creatures. 

33.  Diflribution  of  Mankind  into  Birds  ^  Beajls^  and  Fifhes. 

34.  Plea  for  Reafon  allowed y   but  Unfairnefs  taxed. 

35.  Freedom  a  Bleffingor  a  Curfe,  as  it  is  iifed. 

36.  Priefl craft  not  the  reigning  Evil. 

The    sixth    DIALOGUE. 

Se£l.    I.  Points  agreed. 

2.  Sundry  Pretences  to  Revelation. 

3.  Uncertainty  of  Tradition. 

4.  ObjeEl  and  Ground  of  Faith. 

5.  Some  Books  difputed,  others  evidently  fpurious, 

6.  Stile  and  Compofition  of  holy  Scripture. 

7 .  Difficulties  cccu  rring  therein . 

8.  Obfcurity  not  always  a  DefeEl. 

^.   Infpiration  neither  impoffible  nor  abfurd. 

10.  ObjeElions  from  the  Form  and  matter  of  Divine  Revela^ 
tion,  conftdered. 

1 1 ,  Infidelity  an  Effect  of  Narrownefs  and  Prejudice* 


xii  CONTENTS. 

1 2.  Articles  of  Chr'ijiian  Faith  not  unreafonahle, 

13.  Gtiilt  the  natural  Parent  of  Fear. 

14.  Things  unknoivn,   reduced  to  the  Standard  of  what  Men 
knoiv. 

15.  Prejudices  ogainf  the  hicar  nation  of  the  Son  of  God, 

1 6.  Ignorance  of  the  Divine  Oeconcmyy  a  Source  of  Difficult 
ties, 

J  7.  Wifdom  of  Gody  Foolifhnefs  to  Man, 

1 8.  Renfony  no  blind  Guide, 

19.  Ufefulncfs  of  Divine  Revelation, 
2G.  ProphefteSy  luhence  ohfcure, 

21.  Eajlern  Accounts  of  Time  older  than  the  Mofaic. 

22.  The  Humour  ^/^  Egyptians,  AiTyrians,  Chaldaeans,  and 
ether  Nations  extending  their  Antiquity  beyond  Truthy  ac- 
counted for,  ^ 

23.  Reafons  confirming  the  Mofaic  Account, 

24.  Profane  Hiflorians  inconfjlent, 

25.  Celfus,  Prophyry,  and  Julian. 

26.  The  tejlimony  o/"  Jofephus  confidered. 

27.  Atteflation  of  Jeius  and  Gentiles  to  Chriflianity, 

28.  Forgeries  and  Herefies. 

29.  Judgment  and  Attention  of  Minute  Philofophers. 
3  a.   Faith  and  Miracles, 

3  1.   Probable  Arguments  a  fiifficient  Ground  of  Faith, 
32.   The  Chrijlian  Religion  able  to  fland  the  Teft  of  rational 
Inquiry, 

The   seventh    DIALOGUE. 

Seel.    I.   Chriflian  Faith  imp ffible. 

2.  Words  fland  for  Ideas, 

3.  No  Knowledge  or  Faith  without  Ideas, 

4.  Grace y  n<kldea  of  it, 

5 .  Suggejling  Ideas  not  the  only  life  of  Words, 

6.  Force  as  di^cult  to  form  an  Idea  of  as  Grace. 

7.  Notwithjlanding  which y  ufeful  Propofitions  may  be  form- 
ed  concerning  it. 

v>.   Belief  of  the  Trinity  and  other  Myferies  not  abfiird. 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

9.   Mijlakes  about  Faith  an  Occafion  of  profane  Raillery. 
I  o.   Faith  its  true  Nature  and  EffeBs, 

1 1 .  Illujlrated  by  Science. 

12.  By  Arithmetic  in  particular. 

13.  Sciences  converfant  about  Signs. 

14.  I7?e  true  End  of  Speech^  Reafony  Science,  and  Faith. 

1 5 .  Metaphyfical  Objections  areJlro7ig  againjl  Human  Sciences 
as  Articles  of  Faith. 

16.  No  Religion,  hecaufe  no  Human  Liberty » 

17.  Farther  Pr-oof  againjl  Human  Liberty. 

18.  Fatalijm  a  Confequence  of  erroneous  Suppofttions. 

19.  Man  an  accountable  Agent. 

20.  Inconfiflency,  Singularity,  and  Credulity  of  Minute  Phi- 
lofophers. 

21.  Untroden  Paths  and  neiv  Light  of  Minute  Philofophers. 

22.  Sophijlry  of  the  Minute  Philofophers. 

23.  Minute   Philofophers  ambiguous,  (Enigmatical^  unfathom^ 
able. 

24.  Scepticifm  of  the  Minute  Philofophers. 

25.  How  a  Sceptic  ought  to  behave. 

16,  Minute  Philofophers,  why  difficult  to  convince. 

27.  Thinking,  not  the  epidemical  Evil  of  thefe  'Times. 

28.  Infidelity,   not  an  Effieci  of  Reafon  or  Thought,  its  true 
Motives  affigned. 

29.  Variety  of  Opinions  about  Religion,  Effects  thereof. 

30.  Method  for  proceeding  with  Minute  Philofophers. 

31.  Want  of  Thought  and  want  of  Education  Defects  of  the 
prefent  Age. 


THE 


MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER. 

FIRST     DIALOGUE. 


I.  Introdu^ion,  II.  Aim  and  Endeavors  of  Free^ 
thinkers.  III.  Oppcfed  by  the  Clergy,  IV.  Libera 
ty  of  Free-thinking,  V.  Farther  Account  of  the 
Views  of  Free-thinkers,  VI.  ne  Progrefs  of  a 
Free-thinker  towards  Atheifm,  VII.  ^oint  Impof 
ture  of  the  Friejh  and  Magijirate,  VIII.  The 
Free-thinker* s  Method  in  making  Converts  and 
D  if  cover  ies,  IX.  The  Atheifl  alone  Free,  His 
Senfe  of  natural  Good  and  EviL  X .  Modern  Free^ 
thinkers  more  properly  named  Minute  Philofophers. 
XI.  Minute  Philofophers^  what  fort  of  Men^  and 
how  educated.  XII.  Their  Numbers^  Progrefs  and 
Tenets,  XIII.  Compared  with  other  Philofophers* 
XIV.  What  Things  and  Notions  to  be  efieemed  nat^ 
ural,  XV.  Truth  the  fame,  notwithftanding  Di^ 
verfity  of  Opinions,  XVI.  Rule  and  Meafure  of 
moral  Truths. 


I 


FLATTERED  myfelf,  Theagesy  that  before  this 
time  I  might  have  been  able  to  have  fent  you  an  agreeable 
account  of  the  fuccefs  of  the  affair,  which  brought  me 
into  this  remote  corner  of  the  country.  But  inltead  of 
this,  rfhould  now  give  you  the  detail  of  its  mifcarriage, 
if  I  did  not  rather  choofe  to  entertain  you,with  fome  amu- 
fing  incidents,  which  have  helped  to  make  me  eafy  under 
a  circumftance  I  could  neither  obviate  nor  forefee.     Events 


i6        MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         [Dial.  I.] 

are  not  in  our  power ;  but  it  always  is,  to  make  a  good 
ufe  even  of  the  worft.  And  I  muft  needs  own,  the  courfe 
and  the  event  of  this  affair  gave  opportunity  for  reflexions, 
that  make  me  fome  amends  for  a  great  lofs  of  time,  pains, 
and  expence.  A  life  of  adlion  which  takes  its  iffue  from 
the  counfels,  paflions  and  views  of  other  men,  if  it  doth 
not  draw  a  man  to  imitate,  will  at  leaft  teach  him  to  ob- 
ferve.  And  a  mind  at  liberty  to  refle£t  on  its  own  obferv- 
ations,  if  it  produce  nothing  ufeful  to  the  world,  feldom 
fails  of  entertainment  to  itfelf.  For  feveral  months  paft  I 
have  enjoyed  fuch  liberty  and  leifure  in  this  diftant  retreat, 
far  beyond  the  verge  of  that  great  whirlpool  of  bufinefs, 
faftion,  and  pleafure,  which  is  called  the  world.  And  a 
retreat  in  itfelf  agreeable,  after  a  long  fcene  of  trouble  and 
difquiet,  was  made  much  more  fo  by  the  converfation  and 
good  qualities  of  my  hoft  Euphranor,  who  unites  in  his 
own  perfon  the  philofopher  and  the  farmer  :  two  charac- 
ters not  fo  inconfiftent  in  nature  as  by  cuftom  they  feem 
to  be.  Euphranor^  from  the  time  he  left  the  univerfity, 
hath  lived  in  this  fmall  town  ;  where  he  is  poflefled  of  a 
convenient  houfe  with  a  hundred  acres  of  land  adjoining 
to  it  \  which  being  improved  by  his  own  labor,  yield  him 
a  plentiful  fubfiftence.  He  hath  a  good  collection,  chief- 
ly of  old  books,  left  him  by  a  clergyman  his  uncle,  under 
whofe  care  he  was  brought  up.  And  the  bufinefs  of  his 
farm  doth  not  hinder  him  from  making  good  ufe  of  it. 
He  hath  read  much,  and  thought  more  :  his  health  and 
ftrength  of  body  enabling  him  the  better  to  bear  fatigue  of 
mind.  He  is  of  opinion  that  he  could  not  carry  on  his 
iludies  with  more  advantage  in  the  clofet  than  the  field, 
where  his  mind  is  feldom  idle  while  he  prunes  the  trees, 
follows  the  plough,  or  looks  after  his  flocks.  In  the  houfe 
of  this  honeft  friend  I  became  acquainted  with  CritOy  a 
neighboring  gentleman  of  diftinguilhed  merit  and  eftate, 
who  lives  in  great  friendlhip  with  Euphranor.  Laft  fum- 
mer,  Cr'itOy  whofe  pari(h  church  is  in  our  town,  dining  on 
a  Sunday  at  Euphranor'' s^  I  happened  to  inquire  after  his 
guefts  whom  we  had  feen  at  church  with  him  the  Sunday 


[Dial  L]         minute  PHILOSOPHER.  17 

before.  They  are  both  well,  faid  Crko,  but,  having  once 
occafionally  conformed,  to  fee  what  fort  of  aflcmbly  our 
parifti  could  afford,  they  had  no  farther  curiofity  to  gratify 
at  church,  and  fo  chofe  to  flay  at  home.  How,  faid  Eu- 
phranor,  are  they  then  diffenters  ?  No,  replied  CritOy  they 
are  free-thinkers.  Euphranor-y  who  had  never  met  with 
any  of  this  fpecies  or  fe£l:  of  men,  and  but  little  of  their 
writings,  fhewed  a  great  defire  to  know  their  principles  or 
fyftem.  That  is  more,  faid  Critoy  than  I  will  undertake 
to  tell  you.  Their  writers  are  of  different  opinions. 
Some  go  farther,  and  explain  themfelves  more  freely  than 
others.  But  the  current  general  notions  of  the  itdi  are 
beft  learned  from  converfation  with  thofe  who  profefs 
themfelves  of  it.  Your  curiofity  may  now  be  fatisfied,  if 
you  and  Dicn  weuid  fpend  a  week  at  my  houfe  with  thefe 
gentlemen,  who  feem  very  ready  to  declare  and  propagate 
their  opinions.  Alclphron  is  above  forty,  and  no  ftranger 
either  to  men  or  books.  I  knew  him  firO:  at  the  Temph, 
which  upon  an  eftate's  falling  to  him,  he  quitted,  to  travel 
through  the  polite  parts  of  Europe.  Since  his  return  he 
hath  lived  in  the  amufements  of  the  town,  whicli  being 
grown  flale  and  taftelefs  to  his  palate,  have  flung  him  into 
a  fort  of  fplenetic  indolence.  The  young  gentleman, 
Lyftclesy  is  a  near  kinfman  of  mine,  one  of  lively  parts, 
and  a  general  infight  into  letters  ;  who,  after  having  paff- 
ed  the  forms  of  education  and  feen  a  little  of  the  world, 
fell  into  an  intimacy  with  men  of  pleafure  and  free-think- 
ers, I  am  afraid  much  to  the  damage  of  his  conftitutiou 
and  his  fortune.  But  what  I  moil  regret,  is  the  corrup- 
tion of  his  mind  by  a  fct  of  pernicious  principles,  which, 
having  been  obferved  to  furvive  the  paffions  of  youth, 
foreftal  even  the  remote  hopes  of  amendment.  They  are 
both  men  of  faihion,  and  would  be  agreeable  enough,  if 
they  did  not  fancy  themfelves  free-thinker..  But  this,  to 
fpeak  the  truth,  has  given  them  a  certain  air  and  manrxer, 
which  a  Httle  too  vifibly  declare  they  think  them.felves  wl- 
fer  than  the  reft  of  the  v/orld.  I  fhould  therefore  be  nof: 
C 


i8         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         [Dial.  I.] 

•at  all  difpleafed  if  my  guefts  met  with  their  match,  where 
they  lead  fufpe6led  it,  in  a  country  farmer.  I  fhall  not, 
replied  Euphranor,  pretend  to  any  more  than  barely  to  in- 
form myfelf  of  tlicir  principles  and  opinions.  For  this 
end  I  propofe  to-morrow  to  fet  a  week's  talk  to  my  labor- 
ers, and  accept  your  invitation,  if  Dion  thinks  good.  To 
which  I  gave  ccnfent.  Mean  while,  faid  Crito,  I  fhall  pre- 
pare mv  guefts,  and  let  them  know  that  an  honeft  neigh- 
bor hath  a  mind  to  difcourfe  with  them  on  the  fubje6t  of 
their  free-thinking.  And,  if  I  am  not  miftaken,  they  will 
pleafe  themfelves  with  the  profpe£i:  of  leaving  a  convert 
behind  them,  even  in  a  country  village.  Next  morning 
Enphranor  rofe  early,  and  fpent  the  forenoon  in  ordering 
his  affairs.  After  dinner  we  took  our  walk  to  Crito^s 
which  lay  through  half  a  dozen  pleafant  fields  planted 
round  with  plane-trees,  that  are  very  common  in  this  part 
of  the  country.  We  walked  under  the  delicious  fhade  of 
thcfe  trees  for  about  an  hour  before  we  came  to  Critos 
houfe,  which  ftands  in  the  middle  of  a  fmall  parkj  beauti- 
fied with  two  fine  groves  of  oak  and  walnut,  and  a  wind- 
ing ftream  of  fweet  and  clear  water.  We  met  a  fervant 
at  the  door  with  a  fmall  bafket  of  fruit  which  he  was  car- 
rying into  a  grovej  where  he  faid  his  mailer  was  with  the 
two  ftrangers.  We  found  them  all  three  fitting  under  a 
fhade.  And  after  the  ufual  forms  at  firft  meeting,  Eu- 
phranor  and  I  fat  down  by  them.  Our  converfation  began 
upon  the  beauty  of  this  rural  fcene,  the  fine  feafon  of  the 
year,  and  fome  late  improvemi:,*nt3  which  had  been  made  in 
tlie  adjacent  country  by  new  methods  of  agriculture. 
Whence  Alciphron  took  occafion  to  obferve,  that  the  mod 
valuable  improvements  came  latell.  I  fliould  have  fmall 
temptation,  faid  he,  to  live  where  men  have  neither  polifh- 
ed  manners,  nor  improved  minds,  though  the  face  of  the 
country  were  ever  fo  well  improved.  But  Ihave  long  obferv- 
ed,  that  there  is  a  gradual  progrcfs  in  human  affiiirs.  The 
foil  care  of  mankind  is  to  fupply  the  cravings  of  nature  : 
in  the  next  place  they  iludy  the  conveniencies  and  comforts 


[Dial.  I.]        MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  19 

of  life.  But  the  fubdulng  prejudices  and  acquiring  true 
knowledge,  that  Herculean  labor,  is  the  laft,  being  what  de- 
mands the  moll  perfect  abilities,  and  to  which  all  ether 
advantages  are  preparative.  Right,  faid  Euphrnmr,  Alci- 
phron  hath  touched  our  true  defect.  It  was  always  my 
opinion,  that  as  foon  as  we  had  provided  fubfiftence  for 
the  body,  our  next  care  ihouid  be  to  improve  the  mind. 
But  the  defire  of  wealth  ileps  between  and  ingrofleth  men's 
thoughts. 

II.  Alciphron. — Thought  Is  that  which  we  are  told 
diftinguiflieth  man  from  beall  :  and  freedom  of  thought 
makes  as  great  a  difference  between  man  and  man.  It 
is  to  the  noble  alTerters  of  this  privilege  and  perfeiflion  of 
human  kind,  the  free-thinkers  I  mean,  who  have  fprung 
up  and  multiplied  of  late  years,  that  we  are  In;lebted  for 
all  thofe  important  difcoveries,  that  oceait  of  light  which 
hath  broke  in  and  made  its  way,  in  fpite  of  flavery  and 
fuperftition.  Euphranor,  who  is  a  lincere  enemy  to  both, 
tellified  a  great  efteem  for  thofe  worthies  who  had  prefer- 
ved  their  country  from  being  ruined  by  them,  having 
fpread  fo  much  light  and  knowledge  over  the  land.  He 
added,  that  he  liked  the  name  and  charafter  of  a  free- 
thinker \  but  in  his  fenfe  of  the  v/ord,  every  honed 
inquirer  after  truth  in  any  age  or  country  v/as  intitled  to 
it.  He  therefore  delired  to  know  what  this  fe£l:  was 
that  Alciphron  had  fpoken  of  as  newly  fprung  up  ^ 
what  were  their  tenets  ?  what  were  their  difcoveries  ^ 
and  wherein  they  employed  themfelves,  for  the  benefit 
of  mankind  ?  Of  all  which,  he  fliould  think  himfelf 
obliged,  if  Alciphron  would  inform  liim.  That  I  fhaJl, 
very  eafily,  replied  Alciphron^  for  I  profefs  myfelf  one  of  the 
number,  and  my  moft  intimate  friends  are  fome  of  the 
moil  confiderable  among  them.  And  perceiving  that 
Euphranor  heard  him  with  refpe£l,  he  proceeded  very 
fluently.  You  muft  know,  faid  he,  that  the  mind  of 
man  may  be  fitly  compared  to  2  piece  of  land.     What 


20  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         [Dial.  I.] 

ftubbing,  ploughing,  digging,  and  harrowing,  is  to  the  one  ; 
that  thuiking,  reflefting,  examining,  is  to  the  other.  Each 
hath  its  proper  culture  •,  and  as  land  that  is  fuffered  to 
lie  wade  and  wild  for  a  long  tra£l  of  time,  will  be  over- 
fpread  with  brufli-wood,  brambles,  thorns,  and  fuch 
vegetables  which  have  neither  ufe  nor  beauty  •,  even  fo 
there  will  not  fail  to  fprout  up  in  a  neglected  uncultivated 
mind,  a  great  number  of  prejudices  and  abfurd  opinions, 
which  owe  their  origin  partly  to  the  foil  itfeif,  the  pallions 
nnd  impcrftclions  of  the  mind  of  man  ;  and  partly  to 
thofe  feeds  which  chance  to  be  fcattered  in  it  by  every 
wind  of  do£lrine,  which  the  cunnig  of  ftatefmen,  the 
Angularity  of  pedants,  the  fuperflition  of  fools,  or  the  im- 
pollure  of  priefts,  fliall  raife.  Reprefent  to  yourfelf  the 
mind  of  m.an,  or  human  nature  in  general,  that  for  fo 
many  ages  had  lain  obnoxious  to  the  frauds  of  defigning, 
and  the  follies  of  weak  men :  Plow  it  muft  be  overrun 
with  prejudices  and  errors  ;  what  firm  and  deep  roots 
they  mufl  have  taken  :  and  confequently  how  difBcult  a 
talk  it  mufl:  be  to  extirpate  them  :  And  yet  this  work, 
no  lefs  difficult  than  glorious,  is  the  employment  of  the 
modern  Free-thinkers.  Alciphroti  having  faid  this,  made 
a  paufe,  and  looked  round  on  the  company.  Truly  faid 
I,  a  very  laudable  undertaking  !  We  think,  faid  Euphranor^ 
that  it  is  praife-worthy  to  clear  and  fubdue  the  earth,  to 
tame  brute  animals,  to  falhion  the  outfidcs  of  men,  pro- 
vide fuflenance  for  their  bodies,  and  cure  their  maladies. 
But  what  is  all  this  in  comparifon  of  that  mofh  excellent 
and  ufeful  undertaking,  to  free  mankind  from  their  errors, 
and  to  improve  and  adorn  their  minds  ?  For  things  of  lefs 
merit  towards  the  world,  altars  have  been  raifed,  and 
temples  built  in  ancient  times.  Too  many  in  our  days, 
replied  Aktphron^  are  fuch  fools  as  not  to  know  their  belt 
benefadiors  from  their  worfl  enemies  :  They  have  a  blind 
iOc^v^tOi  for  thofe  who  inllave  them  ;  and  look  upon  their 
dciivcrers  as  a  dangerous  fort  of  men,  that  would  under- 
mine received  principles  and  opinions. 


[Dial.  I.]       MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  21 

EupHRANOR. — It  v/ere  a  great  pity  fuch  worthy  ingeni- 
ous men  fhould  meet  with  any  difcouragenient.  For  my 
part  I  fhould  think  a  man,  wlio  fpent  his  time  in  fuch  a 
painful  impartial  fearch  after  truth,  a  better  friend  to  man- 
kind than  the  greatefl  ftatefman  or  hero ;  the  advantage 
of  whofe  labors  is  confined  to  a  little  part  of  the  world, 
and  a  fhort  fpace  of  time  •,  whereas  a  ray  of  truth  may 
enlighten  the  whole  world,  and  extend  to  future  ages. 

Alc. — It  will  be  fome  time,  I  fear,  before  the  common 
herd  think  as  you  do.  But  the  better  fort,  the  men  of 
parts  and  polite  education,  pay  a  due  regard  to  the  patrons 
of  light  and  truth. 

III.  EuPH. — The  clergy,  no  doubt,  are  on  all  occafions 
ready  to  forward  and  applaud  your  worthy  endeavors. 
Upon  hearing  this,  Lyficles  could  hardly  refrain  from 
bughing.  And  Alciphron^  with  an  air  of  pity,  told  Eu- 
pbi-d?iGr^  that  he  perceived  he  was  unacquainted  with  the  real 
chara(2:er  of  thofe  men  :  For,  faid  he,  you  muft  know,  that 
of  all  men  living  they  are  our  greateft  enemies.  If  it  were 
pofTible,  they  would  extinguiili  the  very  light  of  nature, 
turn  the  world  into  a  dungeon,  and  keep  mankind  for  ever 
in  chains  and  darknefls.  ■ 

EuPH. — I  never  imagined  any  thing  like  this  of  our 
proteftant  clergy,  particularly  thofe  of  the  eftablifhed 
church  ;  whom,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  judge  by  what  I 
have  feen  of  them  and  their  writings,  I  fhould  have  thought 
lovers  of  learninirand  ufeful  knowledge. 

Alc. — Take  my  word  for  it,  priefts  of  all  religions  are  the 
fame  :  wherever  there  are  priefts,  there  will  be  prieftcraft : 
and  wherever  there  is  prieQicraft,  there  will  be  a  perfecu- 
tlng  fpirit,  whicli  they  never  fail  to  exert  to  the  utnioft  of 
their  power  again il  all  thofe  who  have  the  courage  to  think 
for  thcmfelves,  and  will  not  fubmit  to  be  hoodwinked  and 
manacled  by  their  reverend  leaders.  Thofe  great  maftcrs 
of  pedantry  and  jargon  have  coined  feveral  fyftems,  which 
are  all  equally  true,  and  of  equal  importance  to  the  world. 
Ths  contending  feds  are  each  ulikc  fond  of  their  own,  and 


22  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.       [Dial.  L] 

alike  prone  to  difcharge  their  fury  upon  all  who  difient 
from  them.  Cruelty  and  ambition  being  the  darling  vi- 
ces of  priefts  and  churchmen  ail  the  world  over,  they  en- 
deavor in  all  countries  to  get  an  afcendant  over  the  reft  of 
mankind  ;  and  £he  magiftrate  having  a  joint  intereft  with 
the  prieft  in  fubduing,  amuling,  and  fearing  the  people, 
too  often  lends  a  hand  to  the  hierarchy  ;  who  never  think 
their  authority  and  pofTeffions  fecure,  fo  long  as  thofe  who 
differ  from  them  in  opinion  are  allowed  to  partake  even  In 
the  common  rights  belonging  to  their  birth  or  fpecics. 
To  reprefent  the  matter  in  a  true  light,  figure  to  yourfelves 
a  monPcer  or  fpe£lre  made  up  of  fuperftition  and  enthufi- 
afm>,  the  joint  ilTue  of  ftatecraft  and  prieftcraft,  rattling  chains 
in  one  hand,  and  with  the  otherbrandifhing  a  flaming  fword 
over  the  land,  and  menacing  deftru6lion  to  all  who  fhall dare 
to  folio v/  the  dictates  of  reafon  and  common  fenfe.  Do  but 
confider  this,  and  then  fay  if  there  was  not  danger  as  well 
as  difficulty  in  our  undertaking.  Yet,  fuch  is  the  gener- 
ous ardour  that  truth  infpires,  our  free-thinkers  are  neither 
overcome  by  the  one,  nor  daunted  by  the  other.  In  fpite 
of  both  we  have  already  made  fo  many  profelytes  among 
the  better  fort,  and  their  numbers  increafe  fo  faft,  that  we 
hope  we  fhall  be  able  to  carry  all  before  us,  beat  down  the 
bulwarks  of  tyranny,  fecular  or  ecclefiaftical,  break  the  fet- 
ters and  chains  of  our  countrymen,  and  reftore  the  origi- 
nal inherent  rights,  liberties,  and  prerogatives  of  mankind. 
Euphranor  heard  this  difcourfe  with  his  mouth  open  and 
his  eyes  fixed  upon  Alciphrouy  who,  having  uttered  it  with 
no  fmali  emotion,  ftopt  to  draw  breath  and  recover  him- 
felf :  But  finding  that  no  body  made  anfwer,  he  refumed 
the  thread  of  his  difcourfe,  and  turning  to  Euphranor  fpoke 
in  a  lower  note  what  follows.  The  more  innocent  and 
honcil  a  man  is,  the  more  liable  is  he  to  be  impofed  on  by 
the  fpecious  pretences  of  other  men.  You  have  probably 
met  with  certain  writings  of  our  divines  that  treat  of  grace, 
virtue,  goodnefs,  and  fuch  matters,  fit  to  amufe  and  deceive 
a  fimple  honeft  mind.     But  believe  ms  when  I  tell  you 


[Dial.  L]       MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  23 

they  are  all  at  bottom  (however  they  may  gild  their  defigns) 
united  by  one  common  principle  in  the  fame  intereft.  I 
will  not  deny  there  may  be  here  and  there  a  poor  half-wit- 
ted man  that  means  no  naifchief ;  but  this  I  will  be  bold 
to  fay,  that  all  the  men  of  fenfe  among  them  are  true  at 
bottom  to  thefe  three  purfuits  of  ambition,  avarice,  and 
revenge. 

IV.  While  Alciphron  was  fpeaking,  a  fervant  came  io 
tell  him  and  Lyficles^  that  feme  men  who  were  going  to 
London  waited  to  receive  their  orders.  Whereupon  they 
both  rofe  and  went  towards  the  houfe.  They  were  no 
fooner  gone,  but  Enphranor  addrefling  himfelf  to  Crito  faid, 
he  believed  that  poor  gentleman  had  been  a  great  fufferer 
for  his  free-thinking :  for  that  he  feem.ed  to  exprefs  him- 
felf with  the  paflion  and  refentment  natural  to  men  who 
have  received  very  bad  ufage.  I  believe  no  fuch  thing, 
anfwered  Crito^  but  have  often  obferved  thofe  of  his  fe£b 
run  into  two  faults  of  converfation,  declaiming  and  banter- 
ing, juft  as  the  tragic  or  the  comic  humor  prevails.  Some- 
times they  work  themfelves  into  high  paffions,  and  are 
frightened  at  fpe£lres  of  their  own  raifmg.  In  thofc  fits 
every  country-curate  pafles  for  an  inquifitor.  At  other 
times  they  alTe^l  a  fly  facetious  manner  making  ufe  of 
hints  and  allufions,  exprefling  little,  infmuating  much,  and 
upon  the  whole  feeming  to  divert  themfelves  with  the  fub- 
je£l:  and  their  adverfarics.  But  if  you  would  know  their 
opinions,  you  muft  make  them  fpeak  out  and  keep  clofe  to 
the  point.  Perfecution  for  fjree-thinking  is  a  topic  they 
arc  apt  to  enlarge  on,  thougli  without  any  juft  caufe,  eve- 
ry one  being  at  full  liberty  to  think  what  he  pleafes,  there 
being  no  fuch  thing  in  England  that  I  know  as  perfecution 
for  opinion,  fentiment,  or  thought.  But  in  every  country^ 
I  fuppofe,  feme  care  is  taken  to  reftrain  petulant  fpeech : 
and,  whatever  men's  inward  thoughts  may  be,  to  difcour- 
age  an  outward  eoatempt  of  what  the  public  edeemeth 
facred.      Whether  this  care  in  Engla?id  hath  of  late  been 


24  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.       [Dial.  I.] 

fo  excefllve,  as  to  diftrefs  the  fubje£ls  of  this  once  free  and 
eafy  government  :  whether  the  free-thinkers  can  truly 
complain  of  any  hardfhip  upon  the  fcore  of  confcience  or 
opinion  :  you  will  better  be  able  to  judge,  when  you  hear 
from  themfelves  an  account  of  the  numbers,  progrefs,  and 
notions  of  their  fe£l :  which  I  doubt  not  they  will  commu- 
nicate fully  and  freely,  provided  no  body  prefent  feems 
(hocked  or  offended.  For  in  that  cafe  it  is  pofiible  good 
manners  may  put  them  upon  fome  referve.  Oh !  faid 
Etiphranor,  I  am  never  angry  with  any  man  for  Iiis  opin- 
ion :  whetlier  he  be  Jeiu,  Turk,  or  Idolater,  he  may  fpeak 
his  mind  freely  to  me  without  fear  of  offending.  I  fliould 
even  be  glad  to  hear  what  he  hath  to  fay,  provided  he  faith 
it  in  an  ingenuous  candid  manner.  Whoever  digs  in  the 
mine  of  truth,  I  look  on  as  my  fellow-laborer :  but  if, 
while  I  am  taking  true  pains,  he  diverts  himfelf  with  teiz- 
ing  me  and  flinging  dull  in  mine  eyes,  I  fliall  foon  be  tired 
of  him. 

V.  In  tlie  mean  time  Alaphron  and  Lyfides  having  dif- 
patched  what  they  went  about,  returned  to  us.  Lyficles 
fat  down  where  he  had  been  before.  But  Alciphron  Rood 
over-againfl:  us,  with  his  arms  folded  acrofs,  and  his  head 
reclined  on  the  left  fboulder  in  the  pofture  of  a  man  medi- 
tating. We  fat  filent  not  to  difturb  his  thoughts  ;  and 
after  tv/o  or  three  minutes  he  uttered  thofe  words,  Oh 
truth  !  Oh  liberty  !  after  which  he  remained  mufing  as 
before.  Upon  this  Eiiphramr  took  the  freedom  to  inter- 
rupt Itim.  Alc'iphroTi^  faid  he,  it  is  not  fair  to  fpend  your 
time  in  foliloquies.  The  converfation  of  learned  and 
knowing  men  is  rarely  to  be  met  with  in  this  corner,  and 
the  opportunity  you  have  put  into  niy  hands  I  value  too 
iTiUch,  not  to  make  the  bed  ufe  of  it. 

Alc— Are  you  then  in  earned  a  votary  of  truth,  and 
is  it  poffible  that  you  fliould  bear  the  liberty  of  a  fair  in- 
quiry } 

EuPH. — It  is  what  I  defire  of  all  things. 


[Dial.  L]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         '      25 

Alc. — What !  upon  every  fubje61;  ?  upon  the  notions 
which  you  firft  fucked  in  with  your  milk,  and  which  have 
been  ever  fince  nurfed  by  parents,  paftois,  tutors,  religious 
aflembhes,  books  of  devotion,  and  fuch  methods  of  pre- 
poflefling  men's  minds  ? 

EupH. — I  love  inform.ation  upon  all  fubjecls  that  come 
in  my  way,  and  efpecially  upon  thofe  that  are  mod  im- 
portant. 

Alc. — If  then  you  are  in  earned,  hold  fair  and  dand 
firm,  while  I  probe  your  prejudices  and  extirpate  your 
principles. 

Dum  veteres  avias  tibi  de  pitlmcne  revello. 

Having  faid  thus,  Ak'iphron  knit  his  brows  and  made  a 
fliort  paufe,  after  which  he  proceeded  in  the  following 
manner.  If  we  are  at  the  pains  to  dive  and  penetrate  into 
the  bottom  of  things,  and  analyfe  opinions  into  their  fird 
principles,  we  fhall  find  that  thofe  opinions,  v/hich  ars 
thought  of  greated  confequence,  have  the  flighted  origi- 
nal, being  derived  either  from  the  cafual  cudoms  of  the 
country  where  we  live,  or  from  early  indru£lion  indilied 
into  our  tender  minds,  before  we  are  able  to  difcern  be- 
tween right  and  wrong,  true  and  falfe.  The  vulgar  (by 
whom  I  underdand  all  thofe  who  do  not  make  a  free  ufe 
of  their  reafon)  are  apt  to  take  thefe  prejudices  for  things 
facred  and  unquedionable,  believing  them  to  be  imprinted 
on  the  hearts  of  men  by  God  himfelf,  or  conveyed  by  rev- 
elation from  heaven,  or  to  carry  with  them  fo  great  light 
and  evidence  as  mud  force  an  affent  without  any  inquiry 
or  examination.  Thus  the  fliallow  vulgar  have  their  heads, 
furniftied  with  fundry  conceits,  principles,  and  doctrines, 
religious,  moral,  and  political,  all  which  they  maintain 
with  a  zeal  proportionable  to  their  want  of  reafon.  On 
the  other  hand,  thofe  who  duly  employ  their  faculties  in 
the  fearch  of  truth,  take  efpecial  care  to  weed  out  of  their 
minds  and,extirpate  all  fuch  notions  or  prejudices  as  were 
planted  in  them,  before  they  arrived  at  the  free  and  intire 
ufe  of  reafon.     This  difficult  tallc  hath  been  fuccefsfullv 

D 


26  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

performed  by  our  modern  free-thinkers,  who  have  not  only 
difledled  with  great  fagacity  the  received  fyflems,  and  tra- 
ced every  eftablifhed  prejudice  to  the  fountain  head,  the 
true  and  genuine  motives  of  aflent :  But  alfo,  being  able  to 
embrace  in  one  comprehenfive  view  the  feveral  parts  and 
ages  of  the  world,  they  have  obferved  ?.  wonderful  variety 
of  cuitoms  and  rites,  of  inPiitutions,  religious  and  civil,  of 
notions  and  opinions  very  unlike  and  even  contrary  one  to 
another  :  A  certain  fign  they  cannot  all  be  true.      And  yet 
they  are  all  maintained  by  their  feveral  partizans  with  the 
fame  pofitive  air  and  warm  zeal ;  and  if  examined  will  be 
found  to  bottom  on  one  and  the  fame  foundation,   the 
ftrength  of  prejudice.      By  the  help  of  thefe  remarks  and 
difcoveries,  they  have  broke  through  the  bands  of  popular 
euftom,  and  having  freed  themfelves  from  impofture,  do 
now  generoufly  lend  a  hand  to  their  fellow-fubje61:s,  to  lead 
them  into  the  fame  paths  of  light  and  liberty.      Thus,  gen- 
tlemen, I  have  given  you  a  fummary  account  of  the  views 
and  endeavors  of  thofe  men  who  are  called  free-thinkers. 
If  in  the  courfe  of  what  I  have  faid  or  fliall  fay  hereafter, 
there   be   fome   things    contrary   to    your    pre-conceived 
opinions,   and  therefore   ihocking  and  difagreeable,   you 
will  pardon  the  freedom  and  plainnefs  of   a  phiiofopher  ; 
and  confider  that,  whatever  difpleafure  I  give  you  of  that 
kind,  I  do  it  in  ftri^l:  regard  to  truth  and  obedience  to  your 
own  commands.      I  am  very  fenfible,  that  eyes  long  kept 
in  the  dark,  cannot  bear  a  fudden  view  of  noon  day  light, 
but  mufl  be  brought  to  it  by  degrees.      It  is  for  this  rea- 
fon,  the  ingenious  gentlemen  of  our  profefTion  are  accuf- 
tomed   to  proceed  gradually,  beginning  with  thofe  preju- 
dices to  which  men  have  the  lead  attachment,  and  thence 
proceeding  to  undermine  the  refl  by  flow  and  infenfible 
degrees,  till  they  have  demolifhed  the  whole  fabric  of  hu- 
man folly  and  fuperftition.      But  the  little  time  I  can  pro- 
pofe  to  fpend  here  obligeth  me  to  take  a  fnorter  courfe, 
and  be  more  direcl  and  plain  than  poflibly  may  be  thought 
10  fuit  with  prudence  and  good  manners.     Upon  this,  we 


[Dial.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  27 

afTured  him  he  was  at  full  liberty  to  fpeak  his  mind  of 
things,  perfons,  and  opinions  without  the  lead  referve.  It 
is  a  liberty,  replied  Alciphron^  that  we  free-thinkers  are 
equally  willing  to  give  and  take.  We  love  to  call  things 
by  their  right  names,  and  cannot  endure  that  truth  fhoukl 
fufFer  through  complaifance.  Let  us  therefore  lay  it  dowh 
for  a  preliminary,  that  no  oiFence  be  taken  at  any  thing, 
whatfoever  fhali  be  faid  on  either  fide.  To-  which  we  all 
agreed. 

VI.  In  order  then,  faid  Alciphron,  to  find  out  the 
truth,  we  will  fuppofe  that  I  am  bred  up,  for  inftance, 
in  the  Church  of  England  :  When  I  come  to  maturity 
of  judgment,  and  reflect  on  the  particular  worfliip  and 
opinions  of  this  Church,  I  do  not  rem.ember  when  or  by 
what  means  they  firft  took  poiTeiTion  of  my  mind,  but 
there  I  find  them  from  time  immemori^d.  Then  calling 
an  eye  an  the  education  of  children,  from  whence  I  can 
make  a  judgment  of  my  own,  I  obferve  they  are  inftruft- 
ed  in  religious  matters  before  they  can  reafon  about  them, 
and  confequently  that  all  fucli  inftru6t:ion  is  nothing  elfe 
but  filling  the  fender  mind  of  a  child  with  prejudices. — 
I  do  therefore  rejccl  all  thofe  religious  notions,  which  I 
confider  as  the  other  follies  of  my  childhood.  I  am  con- 
firmed in  this  way  of  thinking,  when  I  look  abroad  into 
the  world,  where  I  obferve  Papifls^and  feveral  feels  of 
dilTenters,  which  do  all  agree  in  a  general  profeffion  of 
belief  in  Chrift,  but  differ  vaftly  one  from  another  in  the 
particulars  of  faith  and  worfhlp.  I  then  enlarge  my  view 
io  as  to  take  in  Jews  and  Mahometans^  between  whom 
and  the  Chrlftians  I  perceive  indeed  fome  fmall  agreement 
in  the  belief  of  one  God  ;  but  then  they  have  each  their 
diftin6l  laws  and  revelations,  for  which  they  exprefs  the 
fame  regard.  But  extending  my  view  fiill  farther  to  hea- 
thenifii  and  idolatrous  nations,  I  difcover  an  endlefs  vari- 
ety, not  only  in  particular  opinions  and  modes  of  worfhip, 
but  even  in  the  very  notion  of  a  Deity,  wherein  they 


28  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

widely  difFeir  one  from  anolher,  and  from  all  the  foremen- 
tioned  fe£ts.  Upon  the  whole,  iiillead  of  truth  fimple 
and  uniform,  I  perceive  nothing  but  difcord,  oppofition, 
and  wild  pretenfions,.  all  fpringing  from  the  fame  fource, 
to  wit,  the  prejudice  of  education.  From  fuch  reafon- 
ings  and  reflexions  as  tliefe,  thinking  men  have  concluded 
that  all  religions  are  alike  falfe  and  fabulous.  One  is  a 
Chriftian,  another  a  Jew,  a  third  a  Mahometan,  a  fourth 
an  idolatrous  Gentile,  but  all  from  one  and  the  fame  rea- 
fon,  becaufe  they  happen  to  be  bred  up  each  in  his  refpec- 
iive  fe£l.  In  the  fame  manner,  therefore,  as  each  of 
thefe  contending  parties  condemns  tlie  reft,  fo  an  unpre- 
judiced ftander-by  will  condemn  and  rejeft  them  all  to- 
gether, obferving  that  they  all  draw  their  origin  from  the 
fame  fallacious  principle,  and  are  carried  on  by  tJh^e  fame 
artifice,  to  anfwer  the  fame  ends  of  the  prieft  and  the  ma- 
giftrate. 

VII.     EupH.— You  hold  then  that  the  magiftrate  con- 
curs with  the  prieft  in  impofing  on  the  people  ? 

Alc. — I  do,  and  fo  muft  every  one  who  confiders 
things  in  a  true  light.  For  you  muft  know,  the  magif-. 
trate's  principal  aim  is  to  keep  the  people  under  him  in 
awe.  Now  the  public  eye  reftrains  men  from  open  of- 
fences againft  the  laws  and  government.  But  to  prevent 
fecret  tranfgreffions,  ja.  magiftrate  finds  it  expedient  that 
men  fliould  believe  there  is  an  eye  of  Providence  watching 
over  their  private  actions  and  defigns.  And,  to  intimi- 
date thofe  who  might  otherwife  be  drawn  into  crimes  by 
the  profpeft  of  pleafure  and  profit,  he  gives  them  to  un- 
derftand,  that  whoever  efcapes  punifliment  in  this  life  will 
be  fure  to  find  it  in  the  next ;  and  that  fo  heavy  and  laft- 
ing  as  infinitely  to  over- balance  the  pleafure  and  profit  ac- 
cruing from  his  crimes.  Plence  the  belief  of  a  God,  the 
im.mortality  of  the  foul,  and  a  future  ftate  of  rewards  and 
pimifnments,  have  been  f  fteemed  ufeful  engines  of  govern- 
ment.     Ar.d  to  the  end  that  thvfe  notional  airy  dodrines 


[Dial.  L]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  29 

might  make  a  fenfible  imprefiion,  and  be  retained  on  the 
minds  of  men,  fkillful  rulers  have  in  the  feveral  civilized 
nations  of  the  earth  devifed  temples,  facrifices,  churches, 
rites,  ceremonies,  habits,  mufic,  prayer,  preaching,  and 
the  like  fpiritual  trumpery,  whereby  the  prieft  maketh 
temporal  gains,  and  the  magiftrate  findeth  his  account  in 
frightening  and  fubduing  the  people.  This  is  the  origirirJ 
of  the  combination  betv/een  church  and  ftate,  of  religion 
by  law  eftabhfhed,  of  rights,  immunities,  and  incomes 
of  priefts  all  over  the  world  :  There  being  no  govern- 
ment but  would  have  you  fear  God,  that  you  may  honor 
the  king  or  civil  power.  And  you  will  ever  obferve  that 
politic  princes  keep  up  a  good  underilanding  with  their 
clergy,  to  the  end  that  they  in  return,  by  inculcating  re- 
ligion and  loyalty  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  may  ren- 
der them  tame,   timorous  and  flavifli. 

Crito  and  I  heard  this  difcourfe  of  Alciphrofi  with  the  ut- 
moft  attention,  though  without  any  appearance  of  fur- 
prife,  there  being  indeed  nothing  in  it  to  us  new  and  un- 
expected. But  Euphraftor  who  had  never  before  been 
prefent  at  fuch  converfation,  could  not  help  fliewing  fome 
aftonifliment ;  which  Lyficles  obferving,  aficed  him  with 
a  lively  air,  how  he  liked  Alciphrojis  lecture.  It  is,  faid 
he,  the  firft  I  believe  that  you  ever  heard  of  the  kind,  and 
required  a  ftrong  ftomach  to  digeft  it. 

EuPH. — I  will  own  to  you,  that  my  dlgeftion  is  none  of 
the  quickeft  ;  but  it  hath  fometimes,  by  degrees,  been  able 
to  mafter  things  which  at  firft  appeared  indigeftible.  At 
prefent  I  admire  the  free  fpirit  and  eloquence  of  Alciphron  ; 
but,  to  fpeak  the  truth,  I  am  rather  aftoniflied,  than  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  of  his  opinions.  How,  (faid  he,  turn- 
ing to  Alciphron)  Is  it  then  poflible  you  (hould  not  believe 
the  being  of  a  God  ? 

Alc. — To  be  plain  with  you,  I  do  not. 

VIII.  But  this  is  what  I  forefaw,  a  flood  of  light  let  in 
at  once  upon  the   m.lnd  being  apt  to  dazzle  and  difordci* 


30  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I] 

rather  than  enlighten  it.  Was  I  not  pinched  in  time,  the 
regular  way  would  be  to  have  begun  with  the  circumllan- 
tials  of  religion,  next  to  have  attacked  the  myfteries  of 
chriftianity,  after  tliat  proceeded  to  the  pra6tic^l  doctrines, 
and  in  the  laft  place  to  have  extirpated  that  which  of  all 
other  religious  prejudices,  being  the  firft  taught,  and  baiis 
of  the  reft,  hath  taken  the  deepeft  root  in  our  minds,  I 
mean,  the  belief  of  a  God.  I  do  not  wonder  it  fticks  with 
you,  having  known  feveral  very  ingenious  men  who  found 
it  difficult  to  free  themfelves  from  this  prejudice. 

EuPH. — All  men  have  not  the  fame  alacrity  and  vigor 
in  thinking  :  For  my  own  part,  I  find  it  a  hard  matter  to 
keep  pace  with  you. 

Alc. — To  help  you,  I  will  go  a  little  way  back,  and  re- 
fume  the  thread  of  ray  reafoning,  Firft  I  muft  acquaint 
you,  that  having  applied  my  mind  to  contemplate  the  idea 
of  truth,  I  difcovered  it  to  be  of  a  ftable  permanent,  and 
uniform  nature  ;  not  various  and  changeable,  like  modes 
or  fafhions,  and  things  depending  on  fancy.  In  the  next 
place,  having  obferved  feveral  fe<Sl:s,  and  fubdivifions  of 
fe6ls,  efpoufing  very  different  and  contrary  opinions,  and 
yet  all  profeffing  chriftianity,  I  reje£le4  thofe  points  where- 
in they  differed,  retaining  only  that  which  was  agreed  to 
by  all,  and  fo  became  a  Latitudinar'ian.  Having  after- 
wards^ upon  a  more  enlarged  view  of  things,  perceived 
that  chriftians,  Jews,  and  Mahometans  had  each  their  dif- 
ferent fyftems  of  faith,  agreeing  only  in  the  belief  of  one 
God,  I  became  a  Beljl.  Laftly,  extending  my  view  to  all 
the  various  nations  which  inhabit  this  globe,  and  finding  they 
agreed  in  no  one  point  of  faith,  but  differed  one  from  an- 
other, as  well  as  from  X^vZ  forementioned  fe£l:s,  even  in  the 
notion  of  a  God,  in  which  there  is  as  great  diverfity  as  in 
the  methods  of  worfliip,  I  thereupon  became  an  Atheijl ; 
it  being  my  opinion,  that  a  man  of  courage  and  fenfe  (hould 
follow  his  argument  v/herever  it  leads  him,  and  that  noth- 
ing is  more  ridiculous  than  to  be  a  free-thinker  by  halves. 
I  approve  the  man  who  makes  thorough  work,  and,  not 


[Dial.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  31 

content  with  lopping  ofF  the  branches,  extirpates  the  very- 
root  from  which  they  fprung. 

IX.  Atheifm  therefore,  that  bugbear  of  women  and 
foolsj  is  the  very'  top  and  pcrfedlion  of  free-thinking.  ,  It 
is  the  grand  Arcanum  to  which  a  true  genius  naturally  rif- 
eth,  by  a  certain  climax  or  gradation  of  thought,  and  with- 
out which  he  can  never  pofTefs  hi^  foul  in  abfolute  liberty 
and  repofe.  For  your  thorough  convi£l:ion  in  this  maai 
article,  do  but  examine  the  notion  of  a  God  with  the  fame 
freedom  that  you  would  other  prejudices.  Trace  it  to 
the  fountain-head,  and  you  fiiall  not  find  that  you  had 
it  by  any  of  your  fenfes,  the  only  true  means  of  difcover- 
ing  what  is  real  and  fubftantial  in  nature.  You  will  find 
it  lying  amongft  other  old  lumber  in  fome  obfcure  corner 
of  the  imagination,  the  proper  receptacle  of  vifions,  fancies, 
and  prejudices  of  all  kinds  :  And  if  you  are  more  attached 
to  this  than  the  reft,  it  is  only  becaufe  it  is  the  oldeft.  This 
is  all,  take  my  word  for  it,  and  not  mine  only,  but  that  of 
many  more  the  moft  ingenious  men  of  the  age,  who,  I  can 
aflure  you,  think  as  I  do  on  the  fub}e£l  of  "a  Deity.  Though 
fome  of  them  hold  it  proper  to  proceed  with  more  referve 
in  declaring  to  the  world  their  opinion  in  this  particular, 
tiian  in  moft  others.  And  it  muft  be  owned,  there  are 
ft  ill  too  many  in  Engla7id  who  retain  a  foolifti  prejudice 
ligainft  the  name  of  Atheift.  But  it  leflens  every  day 
among  the  better  fort ;  and  when  it  is  quite  worn  out,  cur 
fr^e-thinkers  may  then,  (and  not  till  then)  be  faid  to  have 
given  the  finiftiing  ftroke  to  religion  ;  it  being  evident  that 
fo  long  as  the  exiftence  of  God  is  believed,  religion  muft 
fubfift  in  fome  ftiape  or  other.  But  the  root  being  once 
plucked  up,  the  fcions  which  ftiot  from  it  will  of  courfe 
wither  and  decay.  Such  are  all  thofe  whimfical  notions 
of  confcience,  duty,  principle,  and  the  like,  which  fill  a 
man's  head  with  fcruples,  awe  him  with  fears,  and  make 
him  a  more  thorough  flave  than  the  horfe  he  rides.  A 
man  had  better  a  thoufand  times  be  hunted  by  bailiffs  or 


32  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  L] 

meilengers  than  haunted  by  thefe  fpe6tres,  which  embar- 
afs  and  embitter  all  his  pieafures,  creating  the  moft  real 
and  fore  fervitude  upon  earth.  But  the  free-thinker,  with 
a  vigorous  flight  of  thought  breaks  through  thofe  airyfpring- 
es,  and  aflerts  his  original  independency.  Others  indeed 
may  talk,  and  v/rite,  and  fight  about  liberty,  and  make  an 
cutv/ard  pretence  to  it,  but  the  free-thinker  alone  is  truly 
free. 

Alciphron  having  ended  this  difcourfe  with  an  air  of 
triumph,  Euphrdnor  fpoke  to  him  in  the  following  manner. 
Yen  make  clear  work.  The  gentlemen  of  your  profeffion 
are,  it  feems,  admirable  weeders.  You  have  rooted  up  a 
world  of  notions,  I  fhould  be  glad  to  fee  what  fine  things 
you  have  planted  in  their  ftead. 

Alc. — Have  patience,  good  Euphranor^  I  will  (hew 
you  in  the  firll  place,  that  whatever  was  found  and  good 
we  leave  untouched,  and  encourage  it  to  grow  in  the 
mind  of  man.  And  fecondly,  I  will  fliew  you  what  ex- 
cellent things  we  have  planted  in  it.  You  muft  know 
then,  that  purfuing  our  clofe  and  fevere  fcrutiny,  we  da 
at  laft  arrive  at  fomething  folid  and  real,  in  which  all 
mankind  agree,  to  wit,  the  appetites,  paffions,  and  fen- 
fes  :  Thefe  are  founded  in  nature,  are  real,  have  real 
objects,  and  are  attended  with  real  and  fubftantial  piea- 
fures :  food,  drink,  fleep,  and  the  like  animal  enjoy- 
ments, being  what  all  men  like  and  love.  And  if  wie  extend 
our  view  to  the  other  kinds  of  animals,  we  Ihall  find  them 
all  agree  in  this,  that  they  have  certain  natural  appe- 
tites and  fenfes,  in  the  gratifying  and  fatisfying  of  which 
they  are  conftantly  employed.  Now  thefe  real  natural 
good  things  which  include  nothing  of  notion  or  fancy,  we 
are  fo  far  from  deftroying,  that  we  do  all  we  can  to  cher- 
ifh  and  improve  them.  According  to  us,  every  wife  man 
looks  upon  ^imfelf,  or  his  own  bodily  exiftence  in  this 
prefent  world,  as  the  centre  and  ultimate  end  of  all  his 
actions  and  regards.  He  confiders  his  appetites  as  natu- 
ral guides  directing  to  iils  proper  good,  his  paflions  and 


[Dial.  L]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  3^ 

fenfes  as  the  natural  true  means  of  enjoying  this  good.— 
Hence  he  endeavors  to  keep  his  appetites  in  high  relifh^  his 
paflions  and  fenfes  ftrong  and  lively,  and  to  provide  the 
greateft  quantity  and  variety  of  real  objefts  fuitcd  to  them, 
which  he  ftudieth  to  enjoy  by  all  pofiible  means,  and  ia 
the  higheft  perfection  immaginable.  And  the  man  who 
can  do  this  without  reftraint,  remorfe  or  fear,  is  as  happy  as 
any  other  animal  whatfoever,  or  as  his  nature  is  capable  of 
being.  Thus  I  have  given  you  a  fuccin£t  view  of  the 
principles,  difcoveries,  and  tenets  of  the  feledt  fpirits  of 
this  enlightened  age. 

X.  Crito  remarked,  that  Alclphron  had  fpoke  his  mind 
wi'h  great  clearnefs.  Yes,  replied  Euphranovy  we  are  obli- 
ged to  the  gentleman,  for  letting  us  at  once  into  the  tenets 
of  his  fe£t.  But,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  fpeak  my  mind, 
Alciphron,  though  in  compliance  with  my  own  requeft, 
hath  given  me  no  fmall  uneafinefs.  You  need,  faid  Alci^ 
phrotiy  make  no  apology  for  fpeaking  freely  what  you 
think,  to  one  who  profefleth  himfelf  a  free-thinker.  I 
(hould  be  forry  to  make  one,  whom  I  meant  to  oblige^ 
uneafy.  Pray  let  me  know  wherein  I  have  ofFended.  I 
am  half  alhamed,  replied  Eiiphranor^  to  own  that  I,  who 
am  no  great  genius,  have  a  weaknefs  incidental  to  little 
ones.  I  would  fay,  that  I  have  favorite  opinions,  which 
you  reprefent  to  be  errors  and  prejudices.  For  inftance;» 
the  immortality  of  the  foul  is  a  notion  I  am  fond  of,  as 
what  fupports  the  mind  with  a  very  pleafmg  profpciSl.— ■ 
And  if  it  be  an  error,  I  (hould  perhaps  be  of  Tullfs  mind^ 
who,  in  that  cafe,  profeffed  he  fhouid  be  forry  to  know  the 
truth,  acknowledging  no  fort  of  obligation  to  certain  phi- 
lofophers  in  his  days,  who  taught,  that  the  foul  of  man 
was  mortal.  They  were,  it  feems,  predeceflbrs  to  thofe 
who  are  now  called  free-thinkers  5  whiclT  name  being  too 
general  and  indefinite,  inafmuch  as  it  comprehends  all 
thofe  who  think  for  themfelves,  whether  they  agree  in 

E 


34  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

opinion  with  thefe  gentlemen  or  no,  it  ihould  not  feem 
amifs  to  aflign  them  a  fpecific  appellation,  or  peculiar 
name,  whereby  to  diflinguilh  them  from  other  philofo- 
phers,  at  leail  in  our  prefent  conference.  For  I  cannot 
bear  to  argue  againft  free-thinking  and  free-thinkers. 

Alc. — In  the  eye  of  a  wife  man,  words  are  of  fmall 
moment.     We  do  not  think  truth  attached  to  a  name. 

EuPH. — If  you  pleafe  then,  to  avoid  confufion,  let  us 
call  your  fe£t  by  the  fame  name  that  Tuliy  (who  under- 
ftood  the  force  of  language)  beftowed  upon  them. 

Alc. — With  all  my  heart.  Pray  what  may  that  name 
be? 

EuPK. — ^Why,  he  calls  them  Minute  Fhilofophers.  Right, 
faid  CritOy  the  modern  free-thinkers  are  the  very  fame  with 
thofe  Cicero  called  Minute  Philofophers,  which  name  ad- 
mirably fuits  them,  they  being  a  fort  of  fe£l:  which  dimin- 
ifh  all  the  mofl  valuable  things,  the  thoughts,  views,  and 
hopes  of  men  :  all  the  knowledge,  notions,  and  theories  of 
the  mind,  they  reduce  to  fenfe  ;  human  nature  they  con- 
tradl  and  degrade  to  the  narrow  low  ftandard  of  animal 
life,  and  aflign  us  only  a  fmall  pittance  of  time,  inftead  of 
immortality. 

Alciphron  very  gravely  remarked,  that  the  gentlemen  of 
his  fe£l;  had  done  no  injury  to  man  ;  and  that  if  he  be  a 
little  fhort-livcd,  contemptible  animal,  it  was  not  their 
faying  it  made  him  fo  :  And  they  were  no  more  to  blame 
for  whatever  defeats  they  difcover,  than  a  faithful  glafs 
for  making  the  wrinkles  which  it  only  fhews.  As  to  what 
you  obferve,  faid  he,  of  thofe  we  now  call  free-thinkers, 
having  been  anciently  termed  Minute  Philofophersy  it  is  my 
opinion,  this  appellation  might  be  derived  from  their  confid- 
ering  things  minutely,  and  not  fwallowing  them  in  the 
grofs,  as  other  men  are  ufed  to  do.  Befides,  we  all 
know,  the  beft  eyes  are  neceflary  to  difcern  the  minuteft 
objects :  It  feems,  therefore,  that  Minute  Philofophers 
might  have  been  fo  called,  from  their  diftinguifhed  perfpi- 
cacity. 


[Dial.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  35 

EuPH. — O  Alciphron  !  thefe  Minute  Philofophers  (fincc 
that  is  their  true  name)  are  a  fort  of  pirates,  who  plunder 
all  that  come  in  their  way.  I  confider  myfelf  as  a  man 
left  ftript  and  defolate  on  a  bleak  beach. 

XI.  But  who  are  the  profound  and  learned  men,  that 
of  late  years  have  demolifhed  the  whole  fabric,  which 
lawgivers,  philofophers,  and  divines,  had  been  eredting  for 
fo  many  ages  ?  Lyftcles  hearing  thefe  words,  fmiled,  and 
faid,  he  believed  Euphranor  had  figured  to  himfelf  philofo- 
phers in  fquare  caps  and  long  gowns  ;  but,  thanks  to 
thefe  happy  times,  the  reign  of  pedantry  was  over.  Our 
philofophers,  faid  he,  are  of  a  very  different  kind  from 
thofe  aukward  ftudents,  who  think  to  come  at  knowledge 
by  pouring  on  dead  languages,  and  old  authors,  or  by  fe- 
queftring  thcmfelves  from  the  cares  of  the  world,  to 
meditate  in  folitude  and  retirement.  They  are  the  beft 
bred  men  of  the  age,  men  who  know  the  world,  men  of 
plcafure,  men  of  fafliion,  and  fine  gentlemen. 

EuPH. — I  have  fome  fmall  notion  of  the  people  you 
mention,  but  fhould  never  have  taken  them  for  philofo- 
phers^ 

Cri. — Nor  would  any  one  elfe  till  of  late.  The  world, 
it  feems,  was  long  under  a  miftake  about  the  way  to 
knowledge,  thinking  it  lay  through  a  tedious  courfe  of 
academical  education  and  ftudy.  But  among  the  difcov- 
eries  of  the  prefsnt  age,  one  of  the  principal  is,  the  finding 
out  that  fuch  a  method  doth  rather  retard  and  obftrudt, 
than  promote  knowledge. 

Alc. — Academical  ftudy  may  be  comprifed  in  two 
points,  reading  and  meditation.  Their  reading  is  chiefly 
employed  on  ancient  authors  in  dead  languages  :  fo  that  a 
great  part  of  their  time  is  fpent  in  learning  words  ;  which, 
when  they  have  maftered  with  infinite  pains,  what  do  they 
get  by  it,  but  old  and  obfolete  notions,  that  are  now  quite 
exploded  and  out  of  ufc  ?  then,  as  to  their  meditations. 


36  rvilNUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  1.3 

what  can  they  poffibly  be  good  for  ?  he  that  wants  the 
proper  materials  of  thought,  may  think  and  meditate 
for  ever  to  no  purpofe  :  Thofe  cobwebs,  fpun  by  fcholars, 
out  of  their  own  brains,  being  alike  unferviccable,  either 
for  ufe  or  ornament.  Proper  ideas,  or  materials,  are  only 
to  be  got  by  frequenting  good  company.  I  know  feveral 
gentlemen,  who,  (ince  their  appearance  in  the  world,  have 
fpent  as  much  time  in  rubbing  off  the  ruft  and  pedantry  of 
a  college  education,  as  they  had  done  before  in  acquir- 
ing it. 

Lys,— I'll  undertake,  a  lad  of  fourteen,  bred  in  the  mod- 
ern way,  fhall  make  a  better  figure,  and  be  more  confid- 
cred  in  any  drawing  room,  or  alTembly  of  polite  people, 
than  one  of  four  and  twenty,  who  hath  lain  by  a  long 
time  at  fchool  and  college.  He  fhall  fay  better  things,  in 
a  better  manner,  and  be  more  liked  by  good  judges. 

EuPH.-— Where  doth  he  pick  up  all  this  improvement  ? 

Cri. — Where  our  grave  anceftors  would  never  have 
looked  for  it,  in  a  drawing  room,  a  coffee  houfe,  a  chocolate 
houfe,  at  the  tavern,  or  groom  porter's.  In  thefe,  and  the 
like  fafhionable  places  of  refort,  it  is  the  cuftom  for  polite 
perfons  to  fpeak  freely  on  all  fubje^ls,  religious,  moral,  or 
political.  So  that  a  young  gentleman,  who  frequents  them, 
is  in  the  way  of  hearing  many  inftrudiive  lectures,  feafon- 
cd  with  wit  and  raillery,  and  uttered  with  fpirit.  Three 
orfourfentencesj  from  a  man  of  quality,  fpoke  with  a  good 
air,  make  more  imprefTion,  and  convey  more  knowledge, 
than  a  dozen  dilTertations,  in  a  dry  academical  way. 

EuPH. — -There  is  then  no  method,  or  courfe  of  fludies, 
in  thofe  places. 

Lys. — None  but  an  eafy  free  converfation,  which  takes 
in  every  thing  that  offers,  without  any  rule  or  defign. 

EuPH. — I  always  thought  that  fome  order  was  necefTa- 
ry  to  attain  any  ufeful  degree  of  knowledge  •,  that  hafle 
and  confufion  begat  a  conceited  ignorance  ;  that  to  make 
our   advances  fure,   they  fhouid  be  gradual,    and  thofe 


IDiAL.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  37 

points  firft  learned,  which  might  caft  a  light  on  what  was 
to  follow. 

Alc— So  long  as  learning  was  to  be  obtained  only  by 
that  flow,  formal  courfe  of  ftudy,  few  of  the  better  fort 
knew  much  of  it ;  but  now  it  is  grown  an  amufement, 
our  young  gentry  and  nobility  imbibe  it  infenfibly,  amidft 
their  diverfions,  and  make  a  confiderable  progrefs. 

EuPH. — Hence  probably  the  great  number  of  Minute 
Philofophers. 

Cri.— It  is  to  this  that  (eS:  is  owing  for  fo  many  ingenl- 
cus  proficients  of  both  fexes.  You  may  now  commonly 
fee  (what  no  former  age  ever  faw)  a  young  lady,  or  a  Petit 
Maitrey  nonplus  a  divine,  or  an  old-fafhioned  gentleman, 
who  hath  read  many  a  Greek  and  Latin  author,  and  fpent 
much  time  in  hard  methodical  ftudy. 

EuPH. — It  fhould  feem  then,  that  method,  exa^tnefs, 
and  induftry  are  a  difadvantage.  Here  Alciphron^  turning 
to  L^ftckSi  faid  he  could  make  the  point  very  clear,  if  Eti- 
phranor  had  any  notion  of  painting. 

EupM.~I  never  faw  a  firft-rate  pi£i:ure  in  my  life,  but 
have  a  tolerable  collection  of  prints,  and  have  feen  fomc 
good  drawings. 

Alg. — You  know  then  the  difference  between  the 
Dutch  and  the  Italian  manner. 

EupH. — I  have  fome  notion  of  it. 

Alc. — Suppofe  now,  a  drawing  finilhed  by  the  nice 
and  laborious  touches  of  a  Dutch  pencil,  and  another  off 
hand  fcratched  out  in  the  free  manner  of  a  great  Italian 
mafter.  The  Dutch  piece,  which  hath  coft  fo  much  pains 
and  time,  will  be  exa<Sl  indeed,  but  without  that  force, 
fpirit,  or  grace,  which  appear  in  the  other,  and  are  the  ef- 
feCbs  of  an  eafy  free  pencil.  Do  but  apply  this,  and  the 
point  will  be  cle^r. 

EupH. — Pray  inform  me,  did  thofe  great  Italian  mafters 
begin  and  proceed  in  their  art,  without  any  choice  of 
method  or  fubjedt,  and  always  draw  with  the  fame  cafe 


38  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  L] 

and  freedom  ?  or  did  they  obferve  fome  method,  begin- 
ning with  fimple  and  elementary  parts,  an  eye,  a  nofe,  a 
finger,  which  they  drew  with  great  pains  and  care,  often 
drawing  tlie  fame  thing,  in  order  to  draw  it  correftly,  and 
fo  proceeding,  with  patience  and  induftry,  till  after  confid- 
crable  length  of  time,  they  arrived  at  the  free  mafterly 
manner  you  fpeak  of.  If  this  were  the  cafe,  I  leave  you 
to  make  the  application. 

Alc. — You  may  difpute  the  matter  if  you  pleafe.  But 
a  man  of  parts  is  one  thing,  and  a  pedant  another.  Pains 
and  method  may  do  for  fome  fort  of  people.  A  man 
muft  be  a  long  time  kindling  wet  ftraw  into  a  vile  fmoth- 
cring  flame,  but  fpirits  blaze  out  at  once. 

EuPH. — The  Minute  Philofophers  have,  it  feems,  bet- 
ter parts  than  other  men,  which  qualify  them  for  a  dif- 
ferent education. 

Alc. — Tell  me,  Euphranor,  what  is  that  gives  one 
man  a  better  mein  than  another  ;  more  politenefs  in  drefs, 
fpeech  and  motion  ?  Nothing  but  frequenting  good  com- 
pany. By  the  fame  means,  men  get  infenfibly  a  delicate 
tafte,  a  refined  judgment,  a  certain  politenefs  in  thinking 
and  expreffing  one's  felf.  No  wonder  if  you,  countrymen, 
are  ftrangers  to  the  advantage  of  polite  converfatian, 
which  conftantly  keeps  the  mind  awake  and  adtive,  exer- 
cifing  its  faculties,  and  calling  forth  all  its  ftrength  and 
fpirit  on  a  thoufand  different  occafions  and  fubje6ts,  that 
never  come  in  the  way  of  a  book-worm  in  a  college,  no 
more  than  of  a  ploughman. 

Cri. — Hence  thofe  lively  faculties,  that  quicknefs  of 
apprehenfion,  that  flinefs  of  ridicule,  that  egregious  tal- 
ent of  wit  and  humour,  which  diflinguifli  the  gentlemen 
of  your  profeffion. 

EuPH. — ^It  ftiould  feem  then,  that  your  fe<3:  is  made  up 
of  what  you  call  fine  gentlemen. 

Lys. — Not  altogether,  for  we  have  among  us  fome 
contemplative  fpirits  of  a  coarfsr  education ;  who,  from 


[Dial.  I.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  39 

obferving  the  behavior  and  proceedings  of  apprentices, 
watermen,  porters,  and  aflemblies  of  rabble  in  the  ftreets, 
have  arrived  at  a  profound  knowledge  of  human  nature  J 
and  made  great  difcoveries  about  the  principles,  fprings, 
and  motives  of  moral  actions.  Thefe  have  demolilhed 
the  received  fyftems,  and  done  a  world  of  good  in  the 
city. 

Alc— I  tell  you,  we  have  men  of  all  forts  and  pro- 
fefiions,  plodding  citizens,  thriving  (lock-jobbers,  skill- 
ful men  in  bufinefs,  polite  courtiers,  gallant  men  of  the 
army  ;  but  our  chief  ftrength,  and  flower  of  the  flock, 
are  thofe  promifing  young  men,  who  have  the  advantage 
of  a  modern  education.  Thefe  are  the  growing  hopes  of 
our  feet,  by  whofe  credit  and  influence,  in  a  few  years 
we  expert  to  fee  thofe  great  things  accomplifhed,  that  we 
have  in  view. 

EuPH.— I  could  never  have  imagined  your  fe£t  fo  con- 
fiderable. 

Alc. — There  are,  in  England^  many  honeft  folk  as 
much  in  the  dark  about  thefe  matters  as  yourfelf. 

Xn.  To  judge  of  the  prevailing  opinion  among  people 
of  fafhion,  by  what  a  fenator  faith  in  the  houfe,  a  judge 
upon  the  bench,  or  a  prieft  in  the  pulpit,  who  all  fpeak 
according  to  law,  that  is,  to  the  reverend  prejudices  of 
our  forefathers,  would  be  wrong.  You  fhould  go  into 
good  company,  and  mind  what  men  of  parts  and  breed- 
ing fay,  thofe  who  are  beft  heard,  and  mofl:  admired,  as 
well  in  public  places  of  refort,  as  in  private  vifits.  He 
only,  who  hath  thefe  opportunities,  can  know  our  real 
ftrength,   our  numbers,  and  the  figure  that  we  make. 

EuPH.— By  your  account,  there  muft  be  many  Mi- 
nute Philofophers  among  the  men  of  rank  and  fortune. 

Alc. — Take  my  word  for  it,  not  a  few,  and  they  do 
much  contribute  to  the  fp reading  our  notions.  For  he 
who  knows   the  world,  muft  obferve,  that  faftiions  con- 


40  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  I.] 

ftantly  defcend.  It  is  therefore  the  right  way  to  propa- 
gate an  opinion  from  the  upper  end.  Not  to  fay,  that 
the  patronage  of  fuch  men,  is  an  encouragement  to  our 
authors. 

EuPH. — It  feems  then,  you  have  authors  among  you. 

Lys. — That  we  have,  feveral,  and  thofe  very  great 
men,  who  have  obUged  the  world  with  many  ufeful  and 
profound  difcoveries. 

Cri. — Mojchouy  for  inftance,  hath  proved  that  man 
and  beaft  are  really  of  the  fame  nature  :  That  confequent- 
ly  a  man  need  only  indulge  his  fenfes  and  appetites,  to  be 
as  happy  as  a  brute.  Gorgias  hath  gone  further,  demon- 
ftrating  man  to  be  a  piece  of  clock-work,  or  machine  ; 
and  that  thought,  or  reafon,  are  the  fame  thing  as  the  im* 
pulfe  of  one  ball  againft  another.  Cimon  hath  made  no- 
ble ufe  of  tkefe  difcoveries,  proving  as  clearly  as  any  pro- 
portion in  mathematics,  that  confcience  is  a  whim,  and 
morality  a  prejudice  ;  and  that  a  man  is  no  more  account- 
able for  his  actions  than  a  clock  is  for  ftriking.  Tryphon 
hath  written  irrefragably  on  the  ufefulnefs  of  vice.  Thra^ 
fenor  hath  confuted  the  foolifh  prejudice  men  had  againft 
atheifm,  fhewing,  that  a  republic  of  atheifts  might  live 
very  happily  together.  Demylus  hath  made  a  jeft  of  loy- 
alty, and  convinced  the  world  there  is  nothing  in  it.  To 
him,  and  another  philofopher,  of  the  fame  ftamp,  this  age 
is  indebted  for  difcovering,  that  public  fpirit  is  an  idle 
enthuiiafm,  v/hich  feizeth  only  on  weak  minds.  It  would 
be  endlefs  to  recount  the  difcoveries  made  by  writers  of 
this  fed. 

Lys.— But  the  mafter-piece,  and  finifhing  ftroke,  is  a 
learned  anecdote  of  our  great  Diagoras,  containing  a  de- 
monftration  againft  the  being  of  God,  which  it  is  con- 
ceived the  public  is  not  yet  ripe  for.  But  I  am  aflured 
by  fome  judicious  friends,  who  have  (een  it,  that  it  is  as 
clear  as  day  light,  and  will  do  a  world  of  good,  at  one 
blow  demoiifliing  the  whole  fyftem  of  religion.     Thefc 


[Dial.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  41 

di  fcoveries  are  publifhed  by  our  philofophers,  fometimes 
in  volumes,  but  often  in  pamphlets  and  loofe  papers,  for 
their  readier  conveyance  through  the  kingdom.  And  to 
them  muft  be  afcribed  that  abfolute  and  independent  free- 
dom, which  grovi^eth  fo  faft,  to  the  terror  of  all  bigots. 
Even  the  dull  and  ignorant  begin  to  open  their  eyes,  and 
to  be  influenced  by  the  example  and  authority  of  fo  many 
ingenious  men. 

EupH. — It  fhould  feem,  by  this  account,  that  your  fed^ 
extend  their  difcoveries  beyond  religion  ;  and  that  loyalty 
to  his  prince,  or  reverence  for  the  laws,  are  but  mean 
things  in  the  eye  of  a  Minute  Philofopher. 

Lys. — Very  mean ;  we  are  too  wife  to  think  there  is 
any  thing  facred,  either  in  king  or  conftitution,  or  indeed 
in  any  thing  eife.  A  man  of  fenfe  may,  perhaps,  feem  to 
pay  an  occafional  regard  to  his  prince,  but  this  is  no  more 
at  bottom,  than  what  he  pays  to  God,  when  he  kneels  at 
the  facrament,  to  qualify  himfelf  for  an  office.  Fear  God 
^and  honor  the  king,  are  a  pair  of  flaviih  maxims,  which 
had  for  a  long  time  crampt  human  nature,  and  awed  not 
only  weak  mxinds,  but  even  men  of  good  underftanding, 
till  their  eyes,  as  I  obferved  before,  were  opened  by  our 
philofophers. 

EuPH. — Methinks,  I  can  eaGly  comprehend,  that  when 
the  fear  of  God  is  quite  extinguifhed,  the  mind  muft  be 
very  eafy  with  refpe61:  to  other  duties,  which  become  out- 
ward pretences  and  formalities,  from  the  moment  that 
they  quit  their  hold  upon  the  confcience  :  and  confcience 
always  fuppofeth  the  being  of  a  God.  But  I  ftill  thought, 
that  Erjg/i/hmen,  of  all  denominations  (how  widely  foever 
they  might  differ  as  to  fome  particular  points)  agreed  in 
the  belief  of  a  God,  and  of  fo  much  at  leaft  as  is  called 
natural  religion. 

Alc. — I  have  already  told  you  my  own  opinion  of 
thofe  matters,  and  what  I  know  10  be  the  opinion  of  many 
more. 

F 


42  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

Cri.— Probably,  Euphranovy  by  the  title  of  De'ifls, 
which  is  fometimes  given  to  Minute  Philofophers,  you 
have  been  milled  to  imagine,  they  believe  and  worfhip 
a  God,  According  to  the  light  of  nature  :  but  by  living 
among  them,  you  may  foon  be  convinced  of  the  contrary. 
They  have  neither  time,  nor  place,  nor  form  of  divine 
worlhip  :  They  offer  neither  prayers  nor  praifes  to  God 
in  public :  and,  in  their  private  praftice,  fliew  a  con- 
tempt or  dillike  even  of  the  duties  of  natural  religion. 
For  inftance,  the  faying  grace  before  and  after  meals,  is  a 
plain  point  of  natural  worQiip,  and  was  once  univerfally 
pra£lifed ;  but,  in  proportion  as  this  fe6l  prevailed,  it 
hath  been  laid  afide,  not  only  by  the  Minute  Philofophers 
themfelves,  who  would  be  infinitely  alhamed  of  fuch  a 
weaknefs,  as  to  beg  God's  bleffing,  or  give  God  thanks 
for  their  daily  food  ;  but  alfo  by  others,  who  are  afraid 
of  being  thought  fools  by  the  Minute  Philofophers. 

EuPH. — Is  it  poffible,  that  men,  who  really  believe  a 
God,  fhould  yet  decline  paying  fo  eafy  and  reafonable  a,^ 
duty,  for  fear  of  incurring  the  contempt  of  atheifts  ? 

Cri. — I  tell  you,  there  are  many,  who  believing  in  their 
hearts  the  truth  of  religion,  are  yet  afraid,  or  afhamed,  to 
own  it,  left  they  fhould  forfeit  their  reputation  with 
thofe,  who  have  the  good  luck  to  pafs  for  great  wits,  and 
men  of  genius. 

Alc. — O  Euphranory  we  muft  make  allowance  for 
Crko^s  prejudice  :  he  is  a  worthy  gentleman,  and  means 
well.  But  doth  it  not  look  like  prejudice,  to  afcribe  the 
refpe(Sl:,  that  is  paid  our  ingenious  free-thinkers,  rather  to 
good  luck  tli|n  to  merit  ? 

EupH. — '1  "acknowledge  their  merit  to  be  very  wonder- 
ful, and  that  thofe  authors  muft  needs  be  great  men,  who 
are  able  to  prove  fuch  paradoxes :  for  example,  that  fo 
knowing  a  man,  as  a  Minute  Philofopher,  fhould  be  a  mere 
machine,  or  at  beft  no  better  than  a  brute. 

Alc. — It  is  a  true  maxim,  that  a  man  ihould  think  with 


[Dial.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  43 

the  learned,  and  fpeak  v,ath  the  vulgar.  I  fliould  be  loth 
to  place  a  gentleman  of  merit  in  fuch  a  light  before  preju- 
diced and  ignorant  men.  The  tenets  of  our  philofophy 
have  this,  in  common  with  many  other  truths  in  metaphy- 
fics,  geometry,  aftronomy,  and  natural  philofophy,  that  vul- 
gar ears  cannot  bear  them.  All  our  difcoveries  and  no- 
tions are  in  themfelves  true  and  certain  ;  but  they  are  at 
prefent  known  only  to  the  better  fort,  and  would  found 
ftrange  and  odd  among  the  vulgar.  But  this,  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  will  wear  off  with  time. 

EuPH. — I  do  not  wonder,  that  vulgar  minds  fiiould  be 
flartled  at  the  notions  of  your  philofophy. 

Cri. — Truly  a  very  curious  fort  of  philofophy,  and 
much  to  be  admired  ! 

XIII.  The  profound  thinkers  of  this  way  have  taken  a 
direct  contrary  courfe  to  all  the  great  philofophers  of 
former  ages,  who  made  it  their  endeavor  to  raife  and  re- 
fine human  kind,  and  renjove  it  as  far  as  poflible  from 
the  brute ;  to  moderate  and  fubdue  men's  appeties ;  to 
remind  them  of  the  dignity  of  their  nature ;  to  awaken 
and  improve  their  fuperior  faculties,  and  direct  them  to 
the  nobleft  objects  ;  to  poffefs  men's  minds  with  a  high 
fenfe  of  divinity,  of  the  fupreme  good,  and  the  immortality 
of  the  foul.  They  took  great  pains  to  ftrengthen  the  ob- 
ligations to  virtue  ;  and  upon  all  thofe  fubje6ts  have 
VvTought  out  noble  theories,  and  treated  with  fmgular 
force  of  reafon.  But  it  feems,  our  Minute  Philofophers 
a£l  the  reverfe  of  all  other  wife  and  thinking  men  ;  it 
being  their  end  and  aim  to  erafe  the  principles  of  all  that 
is  great  and  good  from  the  mind  of  man,  to  unhinge  all 
order  of  civil  life,  to  undermine  the  foundations  of  moral- 
ity, and,  inftead  of  improving  and  ennobling  our  natures, 
to  bring  us  down  to  the  maxims  and  way  of  thinking  of 
the  mod  uneducated  and  barbarous  nations  ;  and  even  to 
degrade  human  kind  to  a  level  with  the  brute  bealls.^ 


44  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

And  a]l  the  while  they  would  pafs  upon  the  world  for 
men  of  deep  knowledge.  But  in  effe<9;,  what  is  all  this 
negative  knowledge  better  than  downright  favage  ig- 
norance ?  that  there  is  no  providence,  no  fpirit,  no  fu- 
ture ftate,  no  moral  duty  :  truly  a  fine  fyftem  for  an  honeft 
man  to  own,  or  an  ingenious  man  to  value  himfelf  upon  ! 

Alciphron^  who  heard  this  difcourfe,  with  fome  uneafi- 
nefs,  very  gravely  replied,  /lifputes  are  not  to  be  decided  by 
the  weight  of  authority,  but  by  the  force  of  reafon.  You 
may  pafs,  indeed,  general  refleO:ions  on  our  notions,  and 
call  them  brutal,  and  barbarous,  if  you  pleafe :  But  it  is 
fucli  brutality,  and  fuch  barbarifm,  as  few  could  have  at- 
tained to,  if  men  of  \^i\t  greatefl:  genius  had  not  broke  the 
ice  ;  there  being  nothing  more  difficult  than  to  get  the 
better  of  education,  and  concjuer  old  prejudices.  To  re- 
move and  cafl  off  a  heap  of  rubbifh,  that  has  been  gather- 
ing upon  the  foul  from  our  very  infancy,  requires  great 
courage,  and  great  flrength  of  faculties.  Our  philofophers, 
therefore,  do  well  defervc  the  name  of  Efprits  forts,  men 
of  Jlrong  heads,  Free-thinkers,  and  fuch  like  appellations, 
betokening  great  force  and  liberty  of  mind.  It  is  very 
poffible,  the  heroic  labours  of  thefe  men  may  be  reprefent- 
ed  (for  what  is  not  capable  of  mifreprefentation  ?)  as  a 
piratical  plundering,  and  dripping  the  mind  of  its  wealth 
and  ornaments;  when  it  is  in  truth  the  divefting  it  only  of  its 
prejudices^and  reducing  it  to  its  untainted  original  ftate  of 
nature.      Oh  nature  I   the  genuine  beauty  of  pure  nature  I 

EuPH. — You  feem  very  much  taken  with  the  beauty  of 
nature.  Be  pleafed  to  tell  me,  Alciphron,  what  thofe 
things  are,  which  you  efteem  natural,  or  by  what  mark  I 
may  know  them, 

XIV.  Alc, — For  a  thing  to  be  natural,  for  inftance,  to 
the  mind  of  man,  it  muft  appear  originally  thx^ein,  it  mull 
be  univerfally  in  all  men,  it  muft  be  invariably  the  fame 
in  all  nations  and  ages.     Thefe  limitations  of  original. 


[Dial.  I.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  45 

univerfal,  and  invariable,  exclude  all  thofe  notions  found  In 
the  human  mind,  which  are  the  efFe6l  of  cuftom  and  edu- 
cation. The  cafe  is  the  fame  with  refpe«5t  to  all  other 
fpecies  of  beings.  A  cat,  for  example,  hath  a  natural  in- 
clination to  purfue  a  moufe,  becaufe  it  agrees  with  the 
forementioned  marks.  But  if  a  cat  be  taught  to  play 
tricks,  you  will  not  fay  thofe  tricks  are  natural.  For  the 
fame  reafon,  if,  upon  a  plumbtree,  peaches  and  apricots 
are  ingrafted,  no  body  will  fay  they  are  the  natural  growth 
of  the  plumbtree. 

EuPH. — but  to  return  to  Man  :  It  feems  you  allow 
thofe  things  alone  to  be  natural  to  him,  which  fhew  them- 
felves  upon  his  firft  entrance  into  tlie  world  ;  to  wit,  the 
fcnfes,  and  fuch  pafRons  and  appetites  as  are  difcovered 
upon  the  firft  application  of  their  refpeOive  objects. 

Alc. — That  is  my  opinion. 

EuPH.— Tell  me,  Aldphrcn^  if  from  a  young  appletrec, 
after  a  certain  period  of  time,  there  fliould  (hoot  forth 
leaves,  bloffoms,  and  apples  ;  would  you  deny  thefe  things 
to  be  natural,  becaufe  they  did  not  difcover  and  difplay 
themfelves  in  the  tender  bud  ? 

Alc — I  would  not. 

EuPH. — And  fuppofe,  that  in  man,  after  a  certain  fea- 
fon,  the  appetite  of  luft,  or  the  faculty  cf  reafon,  fhall 
fnoot  forth,  open,  and  difplay  themfelves,  as  leaves  and 
bloffoms  do  in  a  tree ;  would  you  therefore  deny  them  to 
be  natural  to  him,  becaufe  they  did  not  appear  in  his  orig- 
inal infancy  ? 

Alc. — I  acknowledge  I  would  not. 

EuPH. — It  feems,  therefore,  that  the  firft  mark  of  a 
thing's  being  natural  to  the  mind,  was  not  warily  laid 
down  by  you  ;  to  wit,  that  it  fhould  appear  originally  in  it. 
Alc. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPH. — Again,  inform  me,  Alciphron^  v/hether  you  do 
not  think  it  natural  for  an  orange-plant  to  produce  orang- 
es ? 

Alc. — I  do, 


46  MINUT5  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I] 

EuPH. — But  plant  it  in  the  north-end  of  Great-Britain^ 
and  it  (hall  with  care  produce,  perhaps,  a  good  fallad  ;  in 
the  fouthern  parts  of  the  fame  ifland,  it  may  with  much 
pains  and  culture  thrive,  and  produce  indifferent  fruit  ; 
but  in  Portugal y  or  Naples y  it  will  produce  much  better, 
with  little  or  no  pains.      Is  tjiis  true,  or  not  ? 

Alc. — It  is  true. 

EuPH. — The  plant  being  the  fame  in  all  places,  doth 
not  produce  the  fame  fruit ;  fun,  foil,  and  cultivation, 
making  a  difFerenee. 

Alc. — I  grant  it. 

EuPH. — And  fince  the  cafe  is,  you  fay,  the  fame  with 
refpe£l  to  all  fpecies ,  why  may  we  not  conclude,  by  a 
parity  of  reafon,  that  things  may  be  natural  to  human 
kind,  and  yet  neither  found  in  all  men,  nor  invariably 
the  fame  where  they  are  found  ? 

Alc — Hold,  Euphranory  you  muft  explain  yourfelf 
further,     I  fhall  not  be  over  hafty  in  my  conceflions. 

Lys — You  are  in  the  right,  Alciphron,  to  ftand  upon 
your  guard.      I  do  not  like  thefe  enfnaring  queftions. 

EuPH. — I  defire  you  to  make  no  conceflions  in  com- 
plaifance  to  me,  but  only  to  tell  me  your  opinion  upon 
each  particular,  that  we  may  underftand  one  another, 
know  wherein  we  agree,  and  proceed  jointly  in  finding 
out  the  truth.  But  (added  Euphranor,  turning  to  Crito 
and  me)  if  the  gentlemen  are  againft  a  free  and  fair  en- 
quiry, I  fhall  give  them  no  further  trouble. 

Alc. — Our  opinions  will  fland  the  tell.  We  fear  no 
trial.     Proceed  as  you  pleafe. 

EuPH. — It  feems  then  that,  from  what  you  have  granted, 
it  fhould  follow,  things  may  be  natural  to  men,  though 
they  do  not  actually  fhew  themfelves  in  all  men,  nor  in 
equal  perfection ;  there  being  as  great  difference  of  cul- 
ture, and  every  other  advantage,  with  refpe£l:  to  human 
nature,  as  is  to  be  found  with  refpe£l  to  the  vegetable  na- 
ture of  plants  ;  to  ufe  your  own  fimilitude.  Is  it  fo,  or 
not  .? 

Alc — It  is. 


[Dial.  I.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  47 

EuPH. — Anfwer  me,  Alciphron^  do  not  men,  In  all 
times  and  places,  when  they  arrive  at  a  certain  age,  ex- 
prefs  their  thoughts  by  fpeech  ? 

Alc. — They  do. 

EupH. — Should  it  not  feem  then,  that  language  is  na- 
tural ? 

Alc— It  fliould. 

EuPH. — And  yet  there  is  a  great  variety  of  languages. 

Alc. — I  acknowledge  there  is. 

EuPH. — From  all  this,  will  it  not  follow,  a  thing  may 
bs  natural,  and  yet  admit  of  variety  ? 

Alc. — I  grant  it  will. 

EuPH. — Should  it  not  feem,  therefore,  to  follow,  that 
a  thing  may  be  natural  to  mankind,  though  it  have  not 
thofe  marks,  or  conditions,  affigned  j  though  it  be  not  ori- 
ginal, univerfal,  and  invariable  ? 

Alc. — It  Ihould. 

EupH. — And  that  confequently  religious  worihip,  and 
civil  government,  may  be  natural  to  man,  notwithftand- 
ing  they  admit  of  fundry  forms,  and^  different  degrees  of 
perfection  ? 

Alc. — It  feems  fo. 

EupH. — You  have  granted  already,  that  reafon  is  na- 
tural to  mankind. 

Alc. — I  have. 

EuPH. — Whatever,  therefore,  is  agreeable  to  reafon, 
is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  man. 

Alc. — It  is. 

EupH. — Will  it  not  follow,  from  hence,  that  truth 
and  virtue  are  natural  to  man  ? 

Alc. — Whatever  is  reafonable,  I  admit  to  be  natural. 

EuPH. — And  as  thofe  fruits,  which  grow  from  the  mofl 
generous  and  mature  flock,  in  the  choicefl  foil,  and  with 
the  beft  culture,  are  moft  efteemed ;  even  fo  ought  we 
not  to  think,  thofe  fublime  truths  which  are  the  fruits  of 
mature  thought,  and  have  been  rationally  deduced  by  men 


48  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

of  the  beft  and  moft  improved  underftandings,  to  be  the 
choiceft  produ<9:ions  of  the  rational  nature  of  man  ?  And 
if  fo,  being  in  fa£t  reafonable,  natural,  and  true,  they 
ought  not  to  be  efteemed  unnatural  whims,  errors  of  edu- 
cation, and  groundlefs  prejudices,  becaufe  they  are  raifed 
and  forwarded,  by  manuring  and  cultivating  our  tender 
minds ;  becaufe  they  take  early  root,  and  fprout  forth 
betimes,  by  the  care  and  diligence  of  our  inftru^tors. 

Alc. — Agreed,  provided  ftiil  they  may  be  rationally 
deduced.  But  to  take  this  for  granted,  of  what  men  vul- 
garly call  the  truths  of  morality  and  religion,  would  be 
begging  the  quellion. 

EuPH. — You  are  in  the  right ;  I  do  not,  therefore,  take 
for  granted,  that  they  are  rationally  deduced  :  I  only  fup- 
pofe  that,  if  they  are,  they  muft  be  allowed  natural  to  man, 
or  in  other  words,  agreeable  to,  and  growing  from,  the 
moft  excellent  and  peculiar  part  of  human  nature. 

Alc. — I  have  nothing  to  obje£t  to  this. 

EuPH. — What  Ihail  we  think  then  of  your  former  afler- 
tions  .''  That  nothing  is  natural  to  man,  but  what  riiay  be 
found  in  all  men,  in  all  nations  and  ages  of  the  world  : 
That  to  obtain  a  genuine  view  of  human  nature,  we  mufl: 
extirpate  all  the  eiFefts  of  education  and  inftru£l:ion,  and 
regard  only  the  fenfes,  appetites,  and  paffions,  which  are 
to  be  found  originally  in  ail  mankind  :  that,  therefore,  the 
notion  of  a  God  can  have  no  foundation  in  nature,  as  not 
being  originally  in  the  mind,  nor  the  fame  in  all  men.  Be 
pleafed  to  reconcile  thefe  things  with  your  late  conceflions, 
which  the  force  of  truth  feems  to  have  extorted  from  you. 

XV.  Alc. — ^Tell  me,  Euphranor^  whether  truth  be  not 
one  and  the  fame  uniform  invariable  thing  :  And,  if  fo, 
whether  the  many  different  and  inconfiftent  notions,  which 
men  entertain  of  God  and  duty,  be  not  a  plain  proof,  there 
is  no  truth  in  them. 

EuPH.-— That  truth  is  conftant  and  uniform  I  freely 


[Dial.  I.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  49 

own,  and  that  confequently  opinions  repugnant  to  each 
other  cannot  be  true  :  But  I  think  it  will  not  hence  fol- 
low, they  are  all  alike  falfe.  If  among  various  opinions 
about  the  fame  thing,  one  be  grounded  on  clear  and  evi- 
dent reafons  ;  that  is  to  be  thought  true,  and  others  only 
fo  far  as  they  confift  with  it.  Reafon  is  the  fame,  and, 
rightly  applied,  will  lead  to  the  .fame  conclufions,  in  all 
times  and  places.  Socrates^  two  thoufand  years  ago,  feems 
to  have  reafoned  himfelf  into  the  fame  notion  of  a  God, 
which  is  entertained  by  the  Philofophers  of  our  days,  i£ 
you  will  allow  that  name  to  any,  who  are  not  of  your  fecV. 
And  the  remark  of  Confucius y  that  a  man  fhould  guard  in 
his  youth  againft  luft,  in  manhood  againft  fa6i:ion,  and  in 
old  age  againft  covetoufnefs,  is  as  current  morality  in  Eu- 
rope as  in  China, 

Alc. — But  ftill  it  would  be  a  fatisfad^ion,  if  all  men 
thought  the  fame  way,  difference  of  opinions  implying  un- 
certainty. 

EuPH. — ^Tell  me,  Alciphron,  what  you  take  to  be  the 
caufe  of  a  lunar  ecllpfe. 

Alc. — The  fhadow  of  the  earth  interpofing  between 
the  fun  and  moon. 

EuPH. — Are  you  aflured  of  this  ? 

Alc. — Undoubtedly. 

EuPH. — Are  all  mankind  agreed  In  this  truth  .? 

Alc. — By  no  means.  Ignorant  and  barbarous  people 
affign  different  ridiculous  caufes  of  this  appearance. 

EuPH. — It  feems  then,  there  are  different  opinions 
about  the  nature  of  an  eclipfe. 

Alc. — There  are. 

EuPH. — And  neverthelefs  one  of  thefe  opinions  is  true. 

Alc> — It  is. 

EuPH. — Diverfity,  therefore,  of  opinions  about  a  thing, 
doth  not  hinder,  but  that  thing  may  be,  and  one  of  the 
opinions  concerning  it  may  be  true. 

Alc— This  I  acknowledge. 
G 


50  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  L] 

EuPH. — It  fhould  feem,  therefore,  that  your  argument 
againll  the  belief  of  a  God,  from  the  variety  of  opinions 
about  his  nature,  is  not  conclufive.  Nor  do  I  fee,  how  you 
can  conclude  againll  the  truth  of  any  moral  or  religious 
tenet,  from  the  various  opinions  of  men  upon  the  fame 
fubje£b.  Might  not  a  man  as  well  argue,  that  no  hiftori- 
cal  account  of  a  matter  of  fa£t  can  be  true,  when  different 
relations  are  given  of  it  ?  or  may  we  not  as  well  infer, 
that  becaufe  the  feveral  fe£i:s  of  Philofophy  maintain  differ- 
ent opinions,  none  of  them  can  be  in  the  right,  not  even 
the  Minute  Philofophers  themfelves  ? 

During  this  converfation  Lyficles  feemed  uneafy,  like 
one,  that  wilhed  in  his  heart  there  was  no  God.  Alciphroriy 
faid  he,  methinks  you  fit  by  very  tamely,  while  Euphranor 
faps  the  foundation  of  our  tenets.  Be  of  good  courage, 
replied  Alciphron^  a  fkilful  gamefter  has  been  known  to 
ruin  his  adverfary,  by  yielding  him  fome  advantage  at  firfl. 
I  am  glad,  faid  he,  turning  to  Euphranor^  that  you  are 
drawn  in  to  argue  and  make  your  appeals  to  reafon.  For 
my  part,  wherever  reafon  leads,  I  fhali  not  be  afraid  to 
follow.  Know  then,  Euphranory  that  I  freely  give  up 
what  you  now  contend  for.  I  do  not  value  the  fuccefs  of 
a  few  crude  notions,  thrown  out  in  a  loofe  difcourfe,  any 
more  than  the  Turlis  do  the  lofs  of  that  vile  infantry,  which 
they  place  in  the  front  of  their  armies,  for  no  other  end 
but  to  wafte  the  powder,  and  blunt  the  fwords  of  their 
enemies.  Be  afTured,  I  have  in  referve  a  body  of  other- 
guefs  arguments,  which  I  am  ready  to  produce.  I  will 
undertake  to  prove. 

EuPH. — O  Alciphron  !  I  do  not  doubt  your  faculty  of 
proving.  But  before  I  put  you  to  the  trouble  of  any  far- 
ther proofs,  I  fhould  be  glad  to  know,  whether  the  notions 
of  your  Minute  Philofophy  are  worth  proving.  I  mean, 
whether  they  are  of  ufe  and  fervice  to  mankind  ? 

XVI.  Alc. — As  to  that,  give  me  leave  to  tell  you,  a 


[Dial.  L]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  51 

thing  may  be  ufeful  to  one  man's  views,  and  not  to  anoth- 
er's :  But  truth  is  truth,  whether  ufeful  or  not,  and  mufl: 
not  be  meafured  by  the  convenience  of  this  or  that  man, 
or  party  of  men. 

EuPHc — But  is  not  the  general  good  of  mankind  to  be 
regarded  as  a  rule  or  meafure  of  moral  truths,  of  all  fuch 
truths  as  dire61:  or  influence  the  moral  actions  of  men  ? 

Alc. — That  point  is  not  clear  to  me.  I  know,  indeed, 
that  legiflators,  and  divines,  and  politicians,  have  always 
alledged,  that  it  is  neceffary,  to  the  well-being  of  mankind, 
that  they  fhould  be  kept  in  awe  by  the  llavilh  notions  of 
religion  and  morality.*  But  granting  all  this,  how  will  it 
prove  thefe  notions  to  be  true  ?  convenience  is  one  thing, 
and  truth  is  another.  A  genuine  Philofopher,  therefore, 
will  overlook  all  advantages,  and  confider  only  truth  itfelf, 
as  fuch. 

EupH. — Tell  me,  Akiphroriy  is  your  genuine  Philofopher 
a  wife  man,  or  a  fool  ? 

Alc. — Without  queftion,  the  wifeft  of  men. 

EuPH. — Which  is  to  be  thought  the  wife  man,  he  who 
a£ls  with  defign,  or  he  who  a£ts  at  random  ? 

Alc. — He  who  a£i:s  with  deCgn. 

EuPH. — Whoever  a£ts  with  defign,  a£ts  for  fonic  end. 
Doth  he  not .? 

Alc. — He  doth. 

EuPH. — And  a  wife  man  for  a  good  end  ? 

Alc. — True. 

EuPH. — And  he  flieweth  his  wifdom,  in  making  choice 
of  fit  means  to  obtain  his  end. 

Alc. — I  acknowledge  it. 

EuPK. — By  how  much,  therefore,  the  end  propofed  is 
more  excellent,  and  by  how  much  fitter  the  means  em- 
ployed are  to  obtain  it,  fo  much  the  wifer  is  the  agent  to 
be  efteemed. 

Alc. — This  feems  to  be  true. 

*  The  moral  virtues  are  the  political  oflFspring,  which  flattery  begot  up- 
on pride.     Fable  of  the  Bees,  part  the  firft  p.  37. 


52  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

EuPH.- — Can  a  rational  agent  propofe  a  more  excellent 
end  than  happinefs  ? 

Alc.--— He  cannot. 

EuPH.— — Of  good  things,  the  greater  good  is  mofl:  ex- 
cellent. 

Alc. — Doubtlefs. 

EupH. — Is  not  the  general  happinefs  of  mankind  a 
greater  good,  than  the  private  happinefs  of  one  man,  or 
of  fome  certain  men  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EupH. — Is  it  not,  therefore,  the  moft  excellent  end  ? 

Alc. — -It  feems  fo. 

EuPH.— — Are  not  then  thofe  who  purfue  this  end,  by 
the  propereft  methods,  to  be  thought  the  wifeft  men  ? 

Alc. — I  grant  they  are. 

EuPH. — Which  is  a  wife  man  governed  by,  wife  or 
fooiifh  notions. 

Alc— 'By  wife,  doubtlefs. 

EuPH. — It  feems  then  to  follow,  that  he,  who  promotes 
the  general  well-being  of  mankind,  by  the  proper  neceifa- 
ry  means,  is  truly  wife,  and  acls  upon  wife  grounds. 

Alc. — It  fliould  feem  fo. 

EuPH. — And  is  not  folly  of  an  oppofite  nature  to  wif- 
dom  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — Might  it  not,  therefore,  be  inferred,  that 
thofe  men  are  fooiifh,  who  go  about  to  unhinge  fuch 
principles,  as  have  a  neceflary  connexion  with  the  general 
good  of  mankind  ? 

Alc. — Perhaps  this  might  be  granted  :  but,  at  the 
fame  time,  I  mult  obferve,  that  it  is  in  my  power  to  de- 
ny it. 

EuPH. — How  !  you  will  not  furely  deny  the  conclu- 
lion,  when  you  admit  the  premifes. 

Alc. — I  would  fain  know  upon  what  terms  we  ar- 
gue ',  v/hethcr,  in  this  progrefs  of  queilion  and  anfwer, 


[Dial.  I.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  53 

if  a  man  makes  a  flip,  it  be  utterly  irretrievable  ?  For, 
if  you  are  on  the  catch,  to  lay  hold  of  every  advantage, 
without  allowing  for  furprife  or  inattention,  I  muft  tell 
you,  this  is  not  the  way  to  convince  my  judgment. 

EuPH. O  Alciphron  !  I  aim  not   at  triumph,   but  at 

truth.  You  are  therefore  at  full  liberty  to  unravel  all, 
that  hath  been  faid,  and  to  recover,  or  corre6t,  any  flip, 
you  have  made.  But  then,  you  mufl  diftindly  point  it 
out,  otherwife  it  will  be  impofTible  ever  to  arrive  at  any 
conclulion. 

Alc. — I  agree  with  you,  upon  thefe  terms,  jointly  to 
proceed  in  fearch  of  truth,  for  to  that  I  am  fincerely  de- 
voted. In  the  progrefs  of  our  prefent  inquiry,  I  was,  it 
feems,  guilty  of  an  overfight,  in  acknowledging  the  gene- 
ral happinefs  of  mankind  to  be  a  greater  good  than  the 
particular  happinefs  of  one  man.  For  in  fa£l:,  the  indi- 
vidual happinefs  of  every  man  alone  conftitutes  his  own 
entire  good.  The  happinefs  of  other  men  making  no 
part  of  mine,  is  not,  with  refpe£l  to  me,  a  good  ;  I  m.ean 
a  true  natural  good.  It  cannot  therefore  be  a  reafonabie 
end,  to  be  propofed  by  me,  in  truth  and  nature  (for  I  do 
not  fpeak  of  political  pretences)  Cnce  no  wife  man  will 
purfue  an  end  v/hich  doth  not  concern  him.  This  is  the 
voice  of  nature.  Oh  nature  !  thou  art  the  fountain,  ori- 
ginal,  and  pattern  of  all  that  is  good  and  wife. 

EuPH. — You  would  like  then  to  follow  nature,  and 
propofe  her  as  a  guide  and  pattern  for  your  imitation. 

Alc- — Of  all  things. 

EuPH. — "Whence  do  you  gather  this  refpe£l;  for  na- 
ture ? 

Alc. — From  the  excellency  of  her  productions. 

EuPH. — In  a  vegetable,  for  inftance,  you  fay  there 
is  uie  and  excellency,  becaufe  the  feveral  parts  of  it  are 
fo  connected,  and  fitted  to  each  other,  as  to  proteft  and 
nourifti  the  whole,  make  the  individual  grow,  and  propa- 
gate the  kind  \  and  becaufe^  in  its  fruits,  or  qualities,  it  is 


54  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  I.] 

adapted  to  pleafe  the  fenfe,  or  contribute  to  the  benefit  of 
man. 

Alc. — Even  fo. 

EupH. — In  like  manner,  do  you  not  infer  the  excel- 
lency of  animal  bodies,  from  obferving  the  frame  and 
iitnefs  of  their  feveral  parts,  by  which  they  mutually 
confpire  to  the  well-being  of  each  other,  as  well  as  of 
the  whole  ?  Do  you  not  alfo  obferve  a  natural  union,  and 
confent,  between  animals  of  the  fame  kind,  and  that  even 
different  kinds  of  animals  have  certain  qualities,  and  in- 
ftin6ts,  whereby  they  contribute  to  the  exercife,  nourifh- 
ment,  and  delight  of  each  other  ?  Even  the  inanimate, 
unorganized  elements,  feem  to  have  an  excellence  rela- 
tive to  each  other.  Where  was  the  excellency  of  water, 
if  it  did  not  caufe  herbs  and  vegetables  to  fpring  from  the 
earth,  and  put  forth  flowers  and  fruits  ?  And  what 
would  become  of  the  beauty  of  the  earth,  if  it  was  not 
warmed  by  the  fun,  moiftened  by  water,  and  fanned  by 
air  ?  Throughout  the  whole  fyftem  of  the  vifible  and  na- 
tural world,  do  you  not  perceive  a  mutual  connexion  and 
correfpondence  of  parts  ?  And  is  it  not  from  hence,  that 
you  frame  an  idea  of  the  perfection  and  order,  and  beau- 
ty of  nature  ? 

Alc — All  this  I  grant. 

EuPH. — And  have  not  the  ftoics  heretofore  faid  (who 
were  no  more  bigots  than  you  are)  and  did  you  not  your- 
felf  fay,  this  pattern  of  order  was  worthy  the  imitation  of 
rational  agents  ? 

Alc, — I  do  not  deny  this  to  be  true. 

EuPH. — Ought  we  not  therefore  to  infer  the  fame 
union,  order,  and  regularity,  in  the  moral  world,  that 
we  perceive  to  be  in  the  natural  ? 

Alc We  ought. 

EupH. — Should  it  not  therefore  feem  to  follow,  that 
reafonable  creatures  were,  as  the  philofophical  emperor  * 

*  M.  Antonin.  1.  4. 


[Dial.  L]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  55 

obferves,  made  one  for  another  ;  and  confequently,  that 
man  ought  not  to  confider  himfelf  as  an  independent  in- 
dividual, whofe  happinefs  is  not  conne<Sted  with  that  of 
other  men  ,  but  rather  as  the  part  of  a  whole,  to  the 
common  good  of  which  he  ought  to  confpire,  and  order  his 
ways  and  actions  fuitably,  if  he  would  live  according  to 
nature  ? 

Alc. — Suppofing  this  to  be  true,  what  then  ? 

EuPH. — Will  it  not  follow,  that  a  wife  man  (hould 
confider,  and  purfue  his  private  good,  with  regard  to, 
and  in  conjunction  with,  that  of  other  men  ?  in  granting 
of  which,  you  thought  yourfelf  guilty  of  an  overfight ; 
though,  indeed,  the  fympathy  of  pain  and  pleafure,  and 
the  mutual  afFe£i:ions,  by  which  mankind  are  knit  toge- 
ther, have  been  always  allowed  a  plain  proof  of  this  point : 
And  though  it  was  the  conftant  do£lrine  of  thofe,  who 
were  efteemed  the  wifeft,  and  moft  thinking  men  among 
the  ancients,  as  the  platonifts,  peripatetics,  and  ftoics  ; 
to  fay  nothing  of  chriftians,  whom  you  pronounce  to  be 
an  unthinking,  prejudiced  fort  of  people. 

Alc. — I  (hail  not  difpute  this  point  with  you. 

EuPH. — Since,  therefore,  we  are  fo  far  agreed,  (hould 
it  not  feem  to  follow,  from  the  premifes  ,  that  the  belief 
of  a  God,  of  a  future  ftate,  and  of  moral  duties,  are  the 
only  wife,  right,  and  genuine  principles  of  human  con- 
duct, in  cafe  they  have  a  neceflary  connexion  with  the 
well-being  of  mankind  ?  This  conclufion  you  have  been 
led  to  by  your  own  conceflions,  and  by  the  analogy  of 
nature. 

Alc. — I  have  been  drawn  into  it,  ftep  by  ftep,  through 
feveral  preliminaries,  which  I  cannot  well  call  to  mind  ; 
but  one  thing  I  obferve,  that  you  build  on  the  neceflary 
connexion,  thofe  principles  have  with  the  well-being  of 
mankind  ;  which  is  a  point  neither  proved  nor  granted. 

Lys. — This  I  take  to  be  a  grand  fundamental  prejudice, 
as  I  doubt  not,  if  I  had  time  I  could  make  appear.      But 


56  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  L] 

it  is  now  late,  and  we  will,  if  you  think  fit,  defer  this 
fubje£t  till  to-morrow.  Upon  which  motion  of  Lyft-' 
clesy  we  put  an  end  to  our  converfation  for  that  even- 
ing- 


THE 

SECOND     DIALOGUE. 

I.  Vulgar  Error ^  That  Vice  is  hurtful.  II.  The  Benefit  of 
DrunkennefSf  Gaming^  and  Whoring.  III.  Prejudice 
againfi  Vice  wearing  off.  IV.  Its  Ufefulnefs  illufirated 
in  the  Infiances  ^  Callicles  ^W  Telefilla.  V.  The  Rea- 
foning  o/'Lyficies  in  behalf  of  Vice  examined.  VI.  TVrong 
to  punifh  Actions  when  the  DoBrines,  •whence  they  fiow^  are 
tolerated.  VII.  Hazardous  Experiment  of  the  Minute 
Philofophers.  VIII.  Their  Doclrine  of  Circulation  and 
Revolution,  IX.  Their  Senfe  of  a  Reformation.  X.  Rich- 
es alone  not  the  Public  Weal.  XI.  Authority  of  Minute 
Philofophers  :  their  Prejudice  againfi  Religion,  XII.  Ef" 
feels  of  Luxury  :  Virtue^  whether  notional  ?  XIII.  Pleaf 
ure  of  Senfe.  XIV.  What  fort  of  Pleafure  mofi  natural 
to  Man.  XV.  Dignity  of  Human  Nature.  XVI.  PleaJ^- 
ure  mifiaken.  XVII.  Amufemefits,  Mifery^  and  Cow- 
ardife  of  Minute  Philfophers.  XVIII.  Rakes  cannot 
reckon,  XIX.  Abilities  and  Succefs  of  Minute  Philofophers. 
XX.  Happy  Fffetls  of  the  Minute  Philofophy  in  particular 
Infiances.      XXI.    Their  free  Notions  about  Government, 

XXII.  England  the  proper  Soil  for  Mi?iute  Philofophy, 

XXIII.  The  Policy  and  Addrefs  of  its  Profefihrs.  XXIV. 
Alerit  of  Minute  Philofophers  towards  the  Public.  XXV. 
Their  Notions  and  CharaBer.  XXVI.  Their  Tendency 
towards  Popery  and  Slavery. 

X  ^  EXT  morning  Alciphron  and  Lyfides  faid,  the 
weather  was  fo  fine,  they  had  a  mind  to  fpend  the  day 
abroad,  and  take  a  cold  dinner  under  a  fhade,  in  fome 
pleafant  part  of  the  country.  Whereupon,  after  break- 
fa  ft,  we  went  down  to  a  beach,  about  half  a  mile  ofFj 
where  we  walked  on  the  fmooth  fand,  with  the  ocean  on 

H 


58  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

one  hand,  and  on  the  other  wild  broken  rocks,  intermix- 
ed with  (hady  trees  and  fprings  of  water,  till  the  fun  be- 
gan to  be  uneafy.  We  then  withdrew  into  a  hollow 
glade,  between  two  rocks,  where  we  had  no  fooner  feat- 
ed  ourfelves,  but  Lyjides^  addrefllng  himfelf  to  Euphra- 
nor,  .faid,  I  am  now  ready  to  perform  what  I  undertook 
kft  evening,  which  was  to  fhew,  there  is  nothing  in 
that  necefiary  connexion,  which  fome  men  imagine,  be- 
tween thofe  principles,  you  contend  for,  and  the  public 
good.  I  freely  own,  that  if  this  queftion  was  to  be  de- 
cided by  the  authority  of  legiflators,  or  philofophers,  it 
rnuft  go  againft  us.  For  thofe  men  generally  take  it  for 
.  granted,  that  vice  is  pernicious  to  the  public  \  and  that 
■;  men  cannot  be  kept  from  vice,  but  by  the  fear  of  God, 
jand  the  fenfe  of  a  future  ftate  ;  whence  they  are  induced 
^  to  think,  the  belief  of  fuch  things  necefTary  to  the  well- 
being  of  human  kind.  This  faife  notion  hath  prevailed 
for  many  ages  in  the  world,  and  done  an  infinite  deal  of 
mifchief,  being,  in  truth,  the  caufe  of  religious  cllablifh- 
ments,  and  gaining  the  protection  and  encourageme-nt  of 
laws  and  magiflrates  to  the  clergy  and  their  fuperllitions. 
Even  fome  of  the  wifeft  among  the  ancients,  who  agreed 
with  our  fe£l  in  denying  a  Providence,  and  the  immor- 
tality of  the  foul,  had  neverthelefs  the  weaknefs  to  lie 
under  the  commion  prejudice,  that  vice  was  hurtful  to 
focieties  of  men.  But  England  hath,  of  late,  produced 
great  phiiofophers,  who  have  undeceived  the  world,  and 
proved  to  a  demondration,  that  private  vices  are  public 
benefits.  This  difcovery  was  referved  to  our  times,  and 
our  feci  hath  the  glory  of  it. 

Cri. — It  is  poffible  fome  men,  of  fine  underftanding, 
might,  in  former  ages,  have  had  a  glimpfe  of  this  impor- 
tant truth  :  But,  it  may  be  prefumed,  they  lived  in  igno- 
rant times,  and  bigoted  countries,  which  were  not  ripe 
for  fuch  a  difcovery. 

Lys. — Men  of  narrow  capacities  and  fhort  fight,  being 
able  to  fee  no  further  than  one  link  in  a  chain  of  confe- 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  59 

quences,  are  fliocked  at  fmall  evils,  which  attend  upon 
vice.  But  thofe,  who  can  enlarge  their  view,  and  look 
through  a  long  feries  of  events,  may  behold  happinefs  re- 
fulting  from  vice,  and  good  fpringing  out  of  evil,  in  a 
thoufand  inftances.  To  prove  my  point,  I  fhall  not  trou- 
ble you  with  authorities,  or  far-fetched  arguments,  but 
bring  you  to  plain  matter  of  fact.  Do  but  take  a  view  of 
each  particular  vice,  and  trace  it  through  its  efFe£ls  and 
confequences,  and  then  you  will  clearly  perceive  the 
advantage  it  brings  to  the  public. 

II.  Drunkennefs,  for  inftance,  is  by  your  fober  mor- 
alifls  thought  a  pernicious  vice  -,  but  it  is  for  want  of 
confidering  the  good  effects  that  flow  from  it.  For,  in 
the  firft  place,  it  increafes  the  malt  tux,  a  principal  branch 
of  his  majefty's  revenue,  and  thereby  promotes  the  fafety, 
ftrength,  and  glory  of  the  nation.  Secondly,  it  employs  a 
great  number  of  hands,  the  brewer,  the  maltftcr,  the  plough- 
man, the  dealer  in  hops,  the  fmith,  the  carpenter,  the 
brafier,  the  joiner,  with  all  other  artificers,  neceflary  to 
fupply  thofe  enumerated,  with  their  refpeO:ive  initru- 
ments  and  utenfils.  All  which  advantages  are  procured 
from  drunkennefs,  in  the  vulgar  way,  by  flrong  beer. — 
This  point  is  fo  clear,  it  will  admit  of  no  difpute.  But 
while  you  are  forced  to  allow  thus  much,  I  forefee  you 
are  ready  to  object  againft  drunkennefs,  occafioned  by 
wine  and  fpirits,  as  exporting  wealth  into  foreign  coun- 
tries. But  do  you  not  reflect  on  the  number  of  hands, 
which  even  this  fets  on  work  at  home  :  The  diftillers,  the 
vintners,  the  merchants,  the  faiiors,  the  (hipwrights, 
with  all  thofe  who  are  employed  towards  victualing  and 
fitting  out  (hips,  which,  upon  a  nice  computation,  will 
be  found  to  include  an  incredible  variety  of  trades  and 
callings.  Then  for  freighting  our  fhips,  to  anfwcr  thefe 
foreign  importations,  all  our  manufactures  throughout 
the  kingdom  are  employed,  the  fpinners,    the  weavers, 


6o  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

the  dyers,  the  wool-combers,  the  carriers,  the  packers  : 
And  the  fame  may  be  faid  of  many  other  manufaftures, 
as  well  as  the  woollen.  And  if  it  be  further  confidered, 
how  many  men  are  enriched  by  all  the  forementioned 
ways  of  trade  and  bufinefs,  and  the  expenfes  of  thefe 
men,  and  their  families,  in  all  the  feveral  articles  of  con- 
venient and  fafliionable  living,  whereby  all  forts  of  trades 
and  callings,  not  only  at  home,  but  throughout  all  parts, 
wherever  our  commerce  reaches,  are  kept  in  employment ; 
you  will  be  amazed  at  the  wonderfully  extended  fcene  of 
benefits  which  arife  from  the  fingle  vice  of  drunkennefs, 
fo  much  run  down  and  declaimed  againfl;  by  all  grave  re- 
formers. With  as  much  judgment,  your  half-witted  folk 
are  accuftomed  to  cenfure  gaming.  And  indeed  (fuch  is 
the  ignorance  and  folly  of  mankind)  a  gamefter  and  a 
drunkard  are  thought  no  better  than  public  nuifances, 
when,  in  truth,  they  do,  each  in  their  way,  greatly  con- 
duce to  the  public  benefit.  If  you  look  only  on  the  fur- 
face  and  firfl  appearance  of  things,  you  will  no  doubt 
think  playing  at  cards  a  very  idle  and  fruitlcfs  occupation. 
But  dive  deeper,  and  you  Ihall  perceive  this  idle  amufe- 
ment  employs  the  card-maker,  and  he  fets  the  paper-mills 
at  work,  by  which  the  poor  rag-man  is  fupported  j  not 
to  mention  the  builders,  and  workers  in  wood  and  iron, 
that  are  employed  in  erecting  and  furnifhing  thofe  mills. 
Look  ftill  deeper,  and  you  fhall  find  that  candles  and  chair- 
hire,  employ  the  induftrious  and  the  poor,  who,  by  thefe 
means,  come  to  be  relieved  by  fharpers  and  gentlemen, 
who  would  not  give  one  penny  in  charity.  But  you  will 
fay,  that  niany  gentlemen  and  ladies  are  ruined  by  play, 
without  confidering,  that  what  one  man  lofes,  another 
gets,  and  that  confequently  as  many  are  made  as  ruined  : 
Money  changeth  hands,  and  in  this  circulation,  the  life 
of  bufinefs  and  commerce  confiils.  When  money  is  fpent, 
it  is  all  one  to  the  public  who  fpends  it.  Suppofe  a  fool 
of  quality  becomes  the  dupe  of  a  man  of  mean  birth  and 


[Dial.  II.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  6t 

circumftance,  who  has  more  wit.  In  this  cafe,  what 
harm  doth  the  public  fuftain  ?  Poverty  is  relieved,  inge- 
nuity is  rewarded,  the  money  flays  at  home,  and  has  a 
lively  circulation,  the  ingenious  Iharper  being  enabled  to 
fet  up  an  equipage,  and  fpend  handfomely,  which  can- 
not be  done  without  employing  a  world  of  people.  But 
you  will  perhaps  object,  that  a  man  reduced  by  play  may 
be  put  upon  defperatc  courfes,  hurtful  to  the  public. 
Suppofe  the  worft,  and  that  he  turns  highwayman,  fuch 
a  man  hath  a  fliort  life,  and  a  merry.  "While  he  lives, 
he  fpends,  and,  for  one  that  he  robs,  makes  twenty  the 
better  for  his  expenfe.  And  when  his  time  is  come,  a 
poor  family  may  be  relieved  by  fifty  or  a  hundred  pounds 
fet  upon  his  head.  A  vulgar  eye  looks  on  many  a  man 
as  an  idle  or  mifchievous  fellow,  whom  a  true  philofo- 
pher,  viewing  in  another  light,  confiders  as  a  man  of 
pleafant  occupation,  who  diverts  himfelf,  and*benefits  the 
public  :  And  that  with  fo  much  eafe,  that  he  employs  a 
multitude  of  men,  and  fets  an  infinite  maehine  in  motion, 
without  knowing  the  good  he  does,  or  even  intending  to 
do  any ;  which  is  peculiar  to  that  gentleman-like  way  of 
doing  good  by  vice.  I  was  confidering  play,  and  that 
infenfibly  led  me  to  the  advantages,  which  attend  robbing 
on  the  highway.  Oh  the  beautiful  and  never  enough  ad- 
mired connexion  of  vices  !  It  would  take  too  much  time 
to  fhew  how  they  all  hang  together,  and  what  an  infinite 
deal  of  good  takes  its  rife  from  every  one  of  them.  One 
word  for  a  favorite  vice,  and  I  fhall  leave  you  to  make  out 
the  reft  yourfelf,  by  applying  the  fame  way  of  reafoning 
to  all  other  vices.  A  poor  girl,  who  might  not  have  the 
fpending  of  half  a  crown  a  week,  in  what  you  call  an  hon- 
eft  way,  no  fooner  haft  the  good  fortune  to  be  a  kept 
miftrefs,  but  (he  employs  milliners,  laundrefles,  tire- 
women, mercers,  and  a  number  of  other  trades,  to  the 
benefit  of  her  country.  It  would  be  endlefs  to  trace  and 
purfue  every  particular  vice  through  its  confequences   and 


da  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHEPv.    [Dial.  II.] 

efFe£ls,  and  fhew  the  vaft  advantage  they  all  are  of  to  the 
public.  The  true  fprings  that  actuate  the  great  machine 
of  commerce,  and  make  a  flourifhing  (late,  have  been  hi- 
therto little  underftood.  Your  moralifts  and  divines  have, 
for  fo  many  ages,  been  corrupting  the  genuine  fenfe  of 
mankind,  and  filling  their  heads  with  fuch  abfurd  princi- 
ples, that  it  is  in  the  power  of  few  men  to  contemplate 
real  life  with  an  unprejudiced  eye.  And  fewer  ftill  have 
fufficient  parts  and  fagacity  to  purfue  a  long  train  of  con- 
fequences,  relations  and  dependences ;  which  muft  be 
done,  in  order  to  form  a  juft  and  intire  notion  of  the  pub- 
lic weal.  But,  as  I  faid  before,  our  fe£t  hath  produced 
men  capable  of  thefe  difcoveries,  who  have  difplayed 
them  in  a  full  light,  and  made  them  pubUc  for  the  benefit 
of  their  country. 

III.  Oh !  Said  Ettphranor,  who  heard  this  difcourfe 
with  great  attention,  you  Lyftcles  are  the  very  man  I  want- 
ed, eloquent  and  ingenious,  knowing  in  the  principles  of 
your  fedt,  and  willing  to  impart  them.  Pray  tell  me,  do 
thefe  principles  find  an  eafy  admiflion  in  the  world  ? 

Lys.— ~They  do  among  ingenious  men,  and  people 
of  fafhion,  though  you  will  fometimes  meet  with  ftrong 
prejudices  againft  them  in  the  middle  fort,  an  efl^e£t  of 
ordinary  talents  and  mean  breeding. 

EupH. — I  (hould  wonder  if  men  were  not  fhocked  at 
notions  of  fuch  a  furprifing  nature,  fo  contrary  to  all  laws, 
education  and  religion. 

Lys. — They  would  be  fliocked  much  more,  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  Ikilful  addrefs  of  our  Philofophers  j  who, 
confidering  that  moil  men  are  influenced  by  names,  rather 
than  things,  have  introduced  a  certain  polite  way  of  fpeak- 
ing,  which  lefTens  much  of  the  abhorrence  and  prejudice 
againft  vjce. 

EuPH. — Explain  me  this. 

Lys.— Thus,  in  our  dialed!:,  a  vicious  man,  is  a  man  of 


[DiAL.IL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  6^ 

plcafure  :  A  fharper  is  one  that  plays  the  whole  game  : 
A  lady  is  fald  to  have  an  affair  :  A  gentleman  to  be  gal- 
lant :  A  rogue  in  bufinefs,  to  be  one  that  knows  the 
world.  By  this  means,  we  have  no  fuch  things  as  fots, 
debauchees,  whores  or  rogues,  in  the  beau  ?nondey  who  may 
cjijoy  their  vices  without  ineurring  difagreeable  appella- 
tions. 

EupH.— -Vice  then  is,  it  feems,  a  fine  thing  with  an  ug- 
ly name. 

Lys. — Be  aflured  it  is. 

EuPH. — It  fhould  feem  then,  that  P/ato's  fearing  left 
youth  might  be  corrupted,  by  thofe  fables  which  repre- 
fented  the  gods  vicious,  was  an  effe£l  of  his  weaknefs 
and  ignorance. 

Lys. — It  was,  take  my  word  for  it. 

EupH. — And  yet  P/ato  had  kept  good  company,  and  liv- 
ed in  a  court.  And  Ciceroy  who  knew  the  wbrld  well, 
had  a  profound  cfteem  for  him. 

Cri. — I  tell  you,  Euphranor^  that  Plato  and  2lw//y  might, 
perhaps,  make  a  figure  in  Athens^  or  Rome  :  But  were  they 
to  revive  here  in  our  days,  they  would  pafs  but  for  under- 
bred pedants,  there  being  at  riioft  coff'ee-houfes  in  London^ 
feveral  able  men,  who  could  convince  them  they  knew 
nothing  in,  what  they  are  valued  fo  much  for,  morals  and 
politics. 

Lys. — How  many  longr-headed  men  do  I  know,  both  in 
the  court-end  and  the  city,  with  five  times  Plato's  fenfe, 
who  care  not  one  ftraw  what  notion  their  fons  have  of 
God  or  virtue  ! 

IV.  Cri. — I  can  illuftratc  this  do£lrine  of  Lyfcksy  by 
examples,  that  will  make  you  perceive  its  force.  Cleophon^ 
a  Minute  Philofopher,  took  ftrii^  care  of  his  fon's  educa- 
tion, and  entered  him  betimes  in  the  principles  of  his  itdi, 
Callicles  (that  was  his  fon's  name)  being  a  youth  of  parts, 
made  a  notable  progrefs  •,  infomuch  that,  before  he  became 


64  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  IL] 

of  age,  he  killed  his  old  covetous  father  with  vexation,  and 
foon  after  ruined  the  eftate  he  left  behind  him  ;  or,  in 
other  words,  made  a  prefent  of  it  to  the  public,  fpreading 
the  dunghill,  colle£led  by  his  anceftors,  over  the  face  of 
the  nation,  and  making  out  of  one  overgrown  eftate,  fev- 
cral  pretty  fortunes  for  ingenious  men,  who  live  by  the 
vices  cf  the  great.  Telefdla^  though  a  woman  of  quality 
and  fpirit,  made  no  figure  in  the  world,  till  (he  was  in- 
ftru61:ed  by  her  hufband  in  the  tenets  of  the  Minute  Phi- 
lofophy,  which  he  wifely  thought  would  prevent  her  giv- 
ing any  thing  in  charity.  From  that  time  fhe  took  a  turn 
towards  expenfive  diverfions,  particularly  deep  play :  by 
which  means  fhe  foon  transferred  a  confiderable  ihare  of 
his  fortune,  to  feveral  acute  men,  fkilled  in  that  myftery, 
who  wanted  it  more,  and  circulate  it  quicker  than  her 
hufband  would  have  done,  who,  in  return,  hath  got  an  heir 
to  his  eftate,  having  never  had  a  child  before.  That  fame 
Telejilla^  who  was  good  for  nothing  fo  long  as  fhe  believed 
her  catechifm,  now  fhines  in  all  public  places,  is  a  lady  of 
gallantry  and  fafhion,  and  has  by  her  extravagant  parade 
in  lace,  and  fine  clothes,  raifed  a  fpirit  of  expenfe  in  other 
ladies,  very  much  to  the  public  benefit,  though  it  muft  be 
owned,  to  the  mortification  of  many  frugal  hufbands. 

While  Crito  related  thefe  fads  with  a  grave  face,  I 
could  not  forbear  fmiling  ;  which  Lyficles  obferving,  fuper- 
ficial  minds,  faid  he,  may  perhaps  find  fomething  to  ridi- 
cule in  thefe  accounts  :  But  all,  who  are  mafters  of  a  juft 
way  of  thinking,  muft  needs  fee,  that  thofe  maxims,  the 
benefit  whereof  is  univerfal,  and  the  damage  only  particu- 
lar to  private  perfons  or  families,  ought  to  be  encouraged 
in  a  wife  commonwealth.  For  my  part,  faid  Euphranor^  I 
profefs  myfelf  to  be  rather  dazzled  and  confounded,  than 
convinced  by  your  reafoning,  which,  as  you  obferved  your- 
felf,  taking  in  the  connexion  of  many  diftant  points,  requires 
great  extent  of  thought  to  comprehend  it.  I  muft  there- 
fore intreatyouto  bear  with  my  defeds,  fuffer  me  to  take 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  6^ 

to  pieces  what  is  too  big  to  be  received  at  once :  And 
where  I  cannot  keep  pace  with  you,  permit  me  to  follow 
you,  ftep  by  ftep,  as  faft  as  I  can. 

Lys. — There  is  reafon  in  what  you  fay.  Every  one 
cannot  fuddenly  take  a  long  concatenation  of  argument. 

V.  EuPH. — Your  feveral  arguments  feem  to  center  in 
this,  that  vice  circulates  money,  and  promotes  induftry, 
which  caufeth  a  people  to  flourifti.     Is  it  not  fo  ? 

Lys — It  is. 

EuPH. — And  the  reafon  that  vice  produceth  this  efFe6l:, 
is,  becaufe  it  caufeth  an  extravagant  confumption,  which 
is  the  moft  beneficial  to  the  manufacturers,  their  encour- 
agement confiding  in  a  quick  demand  and  high  price. 

Lys. — True. 

EuPH.— Hence  you  think,  a  drunkard  moft  beneficial  to 
the  brewer  and  the  vintner,  as  caufing  a  quick  confump- 
tion of  liquor,  inafmuch  as  he  drinks  more  than  other  men. 

Lys. — Without  doubt. 

EuPH. — Say,  Lyftclesy  who  drinks  moft,  a  fick  man  or  a 
healthy  ^ 

Lys.— A  healthy  ? 

EuPH. — And  which  is  healthieft,  a  fober  man  or  a 
drunkard  ? 

Lys. — A  fober  man. 

EuPH. — A  fober  man  therefore,  in  health,  may  drink 
more  than  a  drunkard  when  he  is  fick. 

Lys. — He  may. 

EuPH. — What  think  you,  will  a  man  confume  more 
meat  and  drink  in  a  long  life  or  a  fhort  one  ? 

Lys. — In  a  long. 

EuPH. — A  fober  healthy  man,  therefore.  In  a  long 
life,  may  circulate  more  money,  by  eating  and  drinking, 
than  a  glutton  or  drunkard,  in  a  ftiort  one. 

Lys. — What  then  .? 

EuPH.- — Why  then,  it  fliould  feem,  that  he  may  be 
I 


^6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  IL] 

more  beneficial  to  the  public,  even  in  this  way  of  eating 
and  drinking. 

Lys. — I  fhall  never  own  that  temperance  is  the  way  to 
promote  drinking. 

EuPH. — But  you  will  own  that  ficknefs  leflens,  and 
death  puts  an  end  to  all  drinking.  The  fame  argument 
will  hold,  for  aught  I  can  fee,  with  refpecSt  to  all  other 
vices  that  impair  men's  health,  and  fhorten  their  lives. 
And,  if  we  admit  this,  it  will  not  be  fo  clear  a  point,  that 
vice  hath  merit  towards  the  public. 

Lys. — But  admitting  that  fome  artificers,  or  traders, 
might  be  as  well  encouraged  by  the  fober  men  as  the  vi- 
cious ;  what  (hall  we  fay  of  thofe,  who  fubfift  altogether 
by  vice  and  vanity  ? 

EuPH. — If  fuch  there  are,  may  they  not  be  otherwife 
employed  without  lofs  to  the  public  ?  Tell  me,  Lyftclesy  is 
there  any  thing  in  the  nature  of  vice,  as  fuch,  that  renders 
it  a  public  bleffmg,  or  is  it  only  the  confumption  it  occa- 
lions  ? 

Lys. — I  have  already  (hewn  how  it  benefits  the  nation, 
by  the  confumption  of  its  manufactures. 

EuPH. — And  you  have  granted,  that  a  long  and  healthy 
life  confumes  more  than  a  (hort  and  fickly  one ;  and  you 
will  not  deny,  that  many  confume  more  than  one.  Upon 
the  whole  then,  compute  and  fay,  which  is  moft  likely  to 
promote  the  induftry  of  his  countrymen,  a  virtuous  marri- 
ed man,  with  a  healthy  numerous  offspring,  and  who  feeds 
and  clothes  the  orphans  in  his  neighborhood,  or  a  fafliion- 
able  rake  about  town.  I  would  fain  know,  whether  money 
fpent  innocently,  doth  not  circulate  as  well  as  that  fpent 
upon  vice.  And  if  fo,  whether,  by  your  own  rule,  it  doth 
not  benefit  the  public  as  much  ? 

Lys. — What  I  have  proved,  I  proved  plainly,  and  there 
is  no  need  of  more  words  about  it. 

EuPH. — You  feem  to  me,  to  have  proved  nothing,  un- 
lefs  you  can  make  it  out,  that  it  is  impoffible  to  fpend  si 


£DiAL.  II.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  67 

fortune  innocently.  I  fhould  think  the  public  weal  of  3 
nation  confiils  in  the  number  and  good  condition  of  its 
inhabitants :  Have  you  any  thing  to  objedl  to  this  ? 

Lys. — I  think  not. 

EupH. — To  this  end  which  would  moll  conduce,  the 
employing  men  in  open  air,  and  manly  exercife,  or  in  fe- 
dentary  bufmefs  within  doors  ? 

Lys.- — The  former,  I  fuppofe. 

EuPH. — Should  it  not  feem  therefore,  that  building, 
gardening,  and  agriculture,  would  employ  men  more  ufe- 
fully  to  the  public,  than  if  tailors,  barbers,  perfumers, 
diftillers,  and  fuch  arts  were  multiplied. 

Lys. — All  this  I  grant ;  but  it  makes  againft  you.  For 
what  moves  men  to  build  and  plant  but  vanity,  and  what 
is  vanity  but  vice  ? 

EuPH. — But  if  a  man  fhould  do  thofe  things  for  his 
convenience  or  pleafure,  and  in  proportion  to  his  fortune, 
without  a  foolifh  oftentation  or  overrating  them  beyond 
their  due  value,  they  would  not  then  be  the  efFedt  of  vice  ; 
and  how  do  you  know  but  this  may  be  the  cafe  ? 

Cri. — One  thing  I  know,  that  the  readied  way  to 
quicken  that  fort  of  induftry,  and  employ  carpenters,  ma- 
fons,  fmiths,  and  ail  fuch  trades,  would  be  to  put  in  prac- 
tice the  happy  hint  of  a  celebrated  Minute  Philofopher ; 
who,  by  profound  thinking,  has  difcovered,  that  burning 
the  city  of  London  would  be  no  fuch  bad  adlion,  as  filly 
prejudiced  people  might  poffibly  imagine  ;  inafmuch  as  it 
would  produce  a  quick  circulation  of  property,  transferring 
it  from  the  rich  to  the  poor,  and  employing  a  great  num- 
ber of  artificers  of  all  kinds.  This,  at  leaft,  cannot  be  deni- 
ed, that  it  hath  opened  a  new  way  of  thinking  to  our  incen- 
diaries, of  which  the  public  hath  of  late  begun  to  reap  the 
benefit. 

EupH. — I  cannot  fufficiently  admire  this  ingenious 
thought. 


68  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  XL] 

VI.  But  methinks  it  would  be  dangerous  to  make  fuch 
notions  public. 

Cri. — Dangerous  !   to  whom  ? 

EuPH. — In  the  firft  place,  to  the  publiflier. 

Cri. — That  is  a  miftake  ;  for  fuch  notions  have  been 
publifhed  and  met  with  due  applaufe,  in  this  moft  wife  and 
happy  age  of  free- thinking,  free-fpeaking,  free^writing, 
and  free-acting. 

EuPH. — How  !  may  a  man  then  publifh  and  pra£i:ife 
fuch  things  with  impunity  ? 

Cri. — To  fpeak  the  truth,  I  am  not  fo  clear  as  to  the 
practical  part.  An  unlucky  accident  now  and  then  befals  an 
ingenious  man.  The  Minute  Philofopher,  MagirtiSy  being 
defirous  to  benefit  the  public,  by  circulating  an  eftate  pof- 
fefled  by  a  near  relation,  who  had  not  the  heart  to  fpend  it, 
foon  convinced  himfelf,  upon  thefe  principles,  tliat  it 
would  be  a  very  worthy  action  to  difpatch  out  of  the  way 
fuch  a  ufelefs  fellow,  to  whom  he  was  next  heir.  But  for 
this  laudable  attempt,  he  had  the  misfortune  to  be  hanged 
by  an  under-bred  judge  and  jury.  Could  any  thing  be 
more  unjuft  ? 

EuPH. — Why  unjuft  ^. 

Cri. — Is  it  not  unjuft  to  punifti  actions,  when  the  prin- 
ciples, from  which  they  directly  follow,  are  tolerated  and 
applauded  by  the  public  1  can  any  thing  be  more  inconfift- 
ent,  than  to  condemn  in  prdClice,  what  is  approved  in  fpec- 
ulation  ?  truth  is  one  and  the  fame  ;  it  being  impoflible  a 
thing  ihould  be  practically  wrong,  and  fpeculatively  right. 
Thus  much  is  certain,  Magtrus  v/as  perfect  mafter  of  all 
this  theory,  and  argued  moft  acutely  about  it  with  a  friend 
cf  mine,  a^little  before  he  did  the  fa6t,  for  which  he  died. 

Lys. The  beft  on't  is,  the  world  every  day  grows  wi- 

fer  J  though  it  muft  be  owned,  the  writers  of  our  fc£t  have 
not  yet  fliaken  oiT  all  refpeCt  for  human  laws,  whatever 
they  may  do  as  to  divine.  It  fecms  they  venture  no  fur- 
ther, than  to  recommend  an  inward  principle  of  vice,  ope- 
rating under  an  outward  reflraint  cf  human  laws. 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  69 

Cri. — That  writer,  who  confiders  man  only  as  an  in- 

ftrument  of  paflion,  who  abfolves  him  from  all  ties  of  con- 
fclence  and  religion,  and  leaves  him  no  law  to  refpeft  or 
to  fear,  but  the  law  of  the  land,  is  to  be  fure  a  public  bene- 
fit. You  miftake,  Euphi-ancr^  if  you  think  the  Minute 
Philofophers  idle  theorifts  :  They  are  men  of  practical 
views. 

EuPH. — As  much  as  I  love  liberty,  I  fliould  be  afraid 
to  live  among  fuch  people  :  it  would  be,  as  Seneca  fome- 
where  exprefleth  it,  in  lihertate  htllis  ac  tyrannis  faviore. 

Lys. — What  do  you  mean  by  quoting  Plato  and  Seneca  ? 
Can  you  imagine  a  free-thinker  is  to  be  influenced  by  the 
authority  of  fuch  old-fafhioned  writers  ? 

EuPH. — You,  Lsficles,  and  your  friend,  have  quoted  to 
me  ingenious  moderns,  profound  fine  gentlemen,  with  new 
names  of  authors  in  the  Minute  Philofophy,  to  whofe 
merits  I  am  a  perfe£^  ftranger.  Suffer  me,  in  my  turn,  to 
cite  fuch  authorities  as  I  know,  and  have  pafled  for  many 
ages  upon  the  world. 

VII.  But,  authority  apart,  what  do  you  fay  to  expe- 
rience .''  My  obfervation  can  reach  as  far  as  a  private  fam- 
ily :  and  fome  wife  men  have  thought,  a  family  may  be 
confidercd  as  a  fmall  kingdom,  or  a  kingdom  as  a  great 
family.      Do  you  admit  this  to  be  true  ? 

L^s. — If  I  fay  yesy  you  will  make  an  inference  •,  and 
if  I  fay  noy  you  will  demand  a  reafon.  The  bell  way  is, 
to  fay  nothing  at  all.  There  is,  I  fee,  no  end  of  anfwer- 
ing. 

EuPH. — If  you  give  up  the  point  you  undertook  to 
prove,  there  is  an  end  at  once  :  But  if  you  hope  to  con- 
vince me,  you  m.uft  anfwer  my  queflions,  and  allow  me 
the  liberty  to  argue  and  infer. 

Lys. — Well,  fuppofe  I  admit  that  a  kingdom  may  be 
confidered  as  a  great  family. 

EuPH . — I  fhall  afk  you  then,  v/hether  ever  you  knew 


70  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [1)ial.  IL] 

private  families  thrive  by  thofe  vices  you  think  fo  benefi- 
cial to  the  public  ? 

Lys. — Suppofe  I  have  not  ? 

EuPH. — Might  not  a  man,  therefore,  by  a  parity  of 
reafon,  fufpe6l  their  being  of  that  benefit  to  the  public  ? 

Lys. — Fear  not,  the  next  age  will  thrive  and  flourifh. 

EuPH. — Pray  tell  me,  Lyfdesy  Suppofe  you  faw  a 
fruit  of  a  new  untried  kind ;  would  you  recommend  it 
to  your  own  family  to  make  a  full  meal  of  ? 

Lys. — I  would  not. 

EuPH. — Why  then  would  you  try,  upon  your  own 
country,  thefe  maxims,  which  were  never  admitted  in  any 
other ,? 

Lys.— —The  experiment  muft  begin  fomewhere;  and 
we  are  refolved  our  own  country  fliall  have  the  honor  and 
advantage  of  it. 

EuPH. — O  Lyficles !  hath  not  Old  England  fubfiiled 
for  many  ages  without  the  help  of  your  notions  ? 

Lys. — ^She  has. 

EuPH. — And  made  fome  figure  ? 

Lys. — I  grant  it. 

EuPH. — Why  then  fliould  you  make  her  run  the  rifle 
of  a  new  experiment,  when  it  is  certain  ftie  may  do  with- 
out it  ? 

Lys. — But  we  would  make  her  do  better.  We  would 
produce  a  change  in  her,  that  never  was  feen  in  any  nation. 

EuPH. — Salliiji  obferves,  that  a  little  before  the  down- 
fall of  the  Roman  greatnefs,  avarice  (the  effcdl  of  luxury) 
had  erafed  the  good  old  principles  of  probity  and  juftice, 
had  produced  a  contempt  for  religion,  and  made  every 
thing  venal  :  while  ambition  bred  diffimulation,  and  cauf- 
ed  men  to  unite  in  clubs  and  parties,  not  from  honorable 
motives,  but  narrow  and  interefted  views.  The  fame 
hiftorian  obferves,  of  that  ingenious  free-thinker,  Catiline^ 
that  he  made  it  his  bufinefs  to  infinuate  himfelf  into  the 
acquaintance  of  young  men,  whofe  minds,  unimproved 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  71 

by  years  and  experience,  were  more  eafily  feduced.  I 
know  not  how  it  happens,  but  thefe  paflages  have  occur- 
red to  my  thoughts  more  than  once  during  this  converfa- 
tion. 

Lys. — Salliift  was  a  fententious  pedant. 

EupH. — But  confult  any  hiftorian  :  look  into  any  wri- 
ter. See,  for  inftance,  what  Xenophon  and  Livy  fay  of 
Sparta  and  Romey  and  then  tell  me,  if  vice  be  not  the  lik§- 
lieft  way  to  ruin  and  enflave  a  people. 

Lys. — When  a  point  is  clear  by  its  own  evidence,  I 
never  think  it  worth  while  to  confult  old  authors  about  it. 

Cri. — It  requires  much  thought  and  delicate  obferva- 
tion,  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  things.  But  one  who  hath 
eome  at  truth  with  difficulty,  can  impart  it  with  cafe.  I 
will  therefore,  Euphranor,  explain  to  you  in  three  words 
(what  none  of  your  old  writers  ever  dreamed  of)  the 
true  caufe  of  ruin  to  thofe  ftates.  You  mult  know,  that 
vice  and  virtue,  being  oppofite  and  contradictory  princi- 
ples, both  working  at  once  in  a  ftate,  will  produce  con- 
trary effects,  which  inteftine  difcord  muft  needs  tend  to 
the  diflblution  and  ruin  of  the  whole.  But  it  is  the  de- 
fign  of  our  Minute  Philofophers,  by  making  men  wicked 
upon  principle,  a  thing  unknown  to  the  ancients,  fo  to 
weaken  and  deftroy  the  force  of  virtue,  that  its  efFe£ts 
fliall  not  be  felt  in  the  public.  In  which  cafe,  vice  be- 
ing uncontrouled,  without  let  or  impediment  of  princi- 
ple, pure  and  genuine,  without  allay  of  virtue,  the  na- 
tion muft  doubtlefs  be  very  flourifhing  and  triumphant. 

EuPH. — ^Truly,  a  noble  fcheme  ! 

Cri. — And  in  a  fair  way  to  take  effect.  For  our  young 
proficients  in  the  Minute  Philofophy,  having,  by  a  rare 
felicity  of  education,  no  tinfture  of  bigotry  or  prejudice, 
do  far  outgo  the  old  ftanders  and  profeiTors  of  the  fe6t ; 
who,  though  men  of  admirable  parts ;  yet,  having  had 
the  misfortune  to  be  imbued  in  their  childhood  with  fome 
religious  notions,  could  never  after  get  entirely   rid  of 


72  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dul.  II.] 

tliem  ;  but  fliil  retain  fome  fmall  grains  of  confcience  and 
fuperllition,  which  are  a  check  upon  the  nobleft  genius. 
In  proof  of  this,  I  remember  that  tlie  famous  Minute 
Philofopher,  old  Demodicusy  came  one  day  from  converfa- 
tion  upon  bufinefs  with  Titnander,  a  young  gentleman  of 
the  fame  fe6t,  full  of  aftonifhment.  I  am  furprifed,  faid 
he,  to  fee  fo  young,  and  withal  fo  complete  a  villain,  and, 
fuch  was  the  force  of  prejudice,  fpoke  of  Timander,  with 
abhorrence,  not  confidering  that  he  was  only  the  more 
egregious  and  profound  philofopher  of  the  two. 

VIII.  EuPH. — Though  much  may  be  hoped  from  the 
unprejudiced  education  of  young  gentlemen,  yet,  it  feems, 
we  are  not  to  expecl  a  fettled  and  entire  happinefs,  before 
vice  reigns  pure  and  unmixed  :  Till  then,  much  is  to  be 
feared  from  the  dangerous  flruggle  between  vice  and  vir- 
tue, which  may  perchance  overturn  and  diflblve  this  go- 
vernment, as  it  hath  done  others. 

Lys. — No  matter  for  that,  if  a  better  comes  in  its  place. 
We  have  cleared  the  land  of  all  prejudices  towards  go- 
vernment or  conftitution,  and  made  them  fly  like  other 
phantafms  before  the  light  of  reafon  and  good  fenfe.  Men, 
who  think  deeply,  cannot  fee  any  reafon,  why  power 
(hould  not  change  hands,  as  well  as  property  :  or,  why 
the  fafhion  of  a  government  fhould  not  be  changed  as 
eafily  as  that  of  a  garment.  The  perpetual  circulating 
and  revolving  of  wealth  and  power,  no  matter  through 
what  or  whofe  hands,  is  that  which  keeps  up  life  and 
fpirit  in  a  ftate.  Thofe  who  are  even  flightly  read  in 
our  philofophy,  know  that,  of  all  prejudices,  the  fiUiefl 
is  an  attachment  to  forms. 

Cri. — To  fay  no  more  upon  fo  clear  a  point,  the  over- 
turning a  government  may  be  juftified  upon  the  fame  prin- 
ciples as  the  burning  a  town,  would  produce  parallel  efFe6ts, 
and  equally  contribute  to  the  public  good.  In  both  cafes, 
the  natural  fprings  of  adion  are  forcibly  exerted  ;  And  in 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  73 

this  general  induftry,  what  one  lofes  another  gets,  a  quick 
circulation  of  wealth  and  power  making  the  fum  total  to 
flourifii. 

EupH. — And  do  the  Minute  Philofophers  publifh  thefe 
things  to  the  world  ? 

Lys. — It  muft  be  confefled,  our  writers  proceed  in  poli- 
tics with  greater  caution,  than  they  think  necelTary,  with 
regard  to  religion. 

Cri. — But  thofe  things  plainly  follow  from  their  prin- 
ciples, and  are  to  be  admitted  for  the  genuine  dodtrine  of 
the  {eOi,  exprefled,  perhaps,  with  more  freedom  and 
perfpicuity,  than  might  be  thought  prudent  by  thofe, 
who  would  manage  the  public,  or  not  offend  weak  breth- 
ren. 

EuPH. — And  pray,  is  there  not  need  of  caution,  a 
rebel,  or  incendiary,  being  chara£l:ers,  that  many  men 
have  a  prejudice  againft  ? 

Lys. — Weak  people,  of  all  ranks,  have  a  world  of  ab- 
furd  prejudices. 

EuPH. — But  the  better  fort,  fuch  as  ftatefmen  and  le- 
giflators  ;  do  you  think,  they  have  not  the  fame  indifpo- 
iition  towards  admitting  your  principles  ? 

Lys. — Perhaps  they  m.ay  j  but  the  reafon  is  plain. 

Cri. — This  puts  me  in  mind  of  that  ingenious  Philofo- 
pher,  the  gamefter,  Giauctis,  who  ufed  to  fay,  that  ftatef- 
men and  lawgivers  may  keep  a  ftir  about  ri^ht  and  wrong, 
juft  and  unjuft,  but  that,  in  truth,  property,  of  every  kind, 
had  fo  often  pafled  from  the  right  owners,  by  fraud  and 
violence,  that  it  was  now  to  be  ccmfidered  as  lying  on  the 
common,  and,  with  equal  right,  belonged  to  every  one 
that  could  feize  it. 

EuPH. — What  are  we  to  think  then  of  laws  and  regu- 
lations, relating  to  right  and  wrong,  crimes  and  duties  ? 

Lys. — ^They  ferve  to  bind  vreak  mijids,  and  keep  the 
vulgar  in  awe  :  But  no  fooner  doth  a  true  genius  srife, 
but  he  breaks  his  way  to  greatnefs,  through  all  the  tram- 

K 


74  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  II.] 

mels  of  duty,  confcience,   religion,  law  *,  to  all  which  he 
{hewethhimfelf  infinitely  fuperior. 

IX.  EuPH. — You  are,  it  feems,  for  bringing  about  a 
thorough  reformation. 

Lys. — As  to  what  is  commonly  called  the. reformation, 
I  could  never  fee  how,  or  wherein  the  world  was  the  bet- 
ter for  it.  It  is  much  the  fame  as  popery,  with  this  differ- 
ence, that  it  is  the  more  prude-like  and  difagreeable  thing 
of  the  two.  A  noted  writer  of  ours  makes  it  too  great  a 
compliment,  when  he  computes  the  benefit  of  hooped- 
petticoats  to  be  nearly  equal  to  that  of  reformation.  Tho- 
rough reformation  is  thorough  liberty.  Leave  nature  at 
full  freedom  to  work  her  own  way,  and  all  will  be  well. 
This  is  what  we  aim  at,  and  nothing  fliort  of  this  can  come 
up  to  our  principles.  CritOy  who  is  a  zealous  proteftant, 
hearing  thefe  words,  could  not  refrain.  The  worft  effete 
of  the  reformation,  faid  he,  was  the  refcuing  wicked  men 
from  a  darknefs  which  kept  them  in  awe.  This,  as  it 
hath  proved,  was  holding  out  light  to  robbers  and  mur- 
derers. Light,  in  itfelf,  is  good,  and  the  fame  light  which 
fliews  a  man  the  folly  of  fuperftition,  might  (hew  him  the 
truth  of  religion,  and  the  madnefs  of  atheifm.  But  to 
make  ufe  of  light,  only  to  fee  the  evils  on  one  fide,  and 
never  to  fee,  but  to  run  blindly  upon  the  worfe  extreme ; 
this  is  to  make  the  beft  of  things  produce  evil,  in  the  fame 
fenfe  that  you  prove  the  worft:  of  things  to  produce  good, 
to  wit,  accidentally  or  indire£l:ly  :  And  by  the  fame  meth- 
od of  arguing,  you  may  prove,  that  even  difeafes  are  ufe- 
ful ;  but  whatever  benefit  feems  to  accrue  to  the  public, 
either  from  difeafe  of  mind  or  body,  is  not  their  genuine 
offspring,  and  may  be  obtained  without  them.  Lyjtcles 
was  a  little  difconcerted  by  the  affirmative  air  of  Crito  ; 
but  after  a  fnort  paufe,  replied  brifkly,  that  to  contemplate 
the  public  good  was  not  every  one's  talent.  True,  faid 
Eiiphratwri  I  queftion  whether  every  one  can  frame  a  no- 


fDiAL.IL]     MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  75 

tion  of  the  public  good,  much  lefs  judge  of  the  mearxs  to 
promote  it. 

X.  But  you,  Lyftcles,  who  are  tnafter  of  this  fubje£t, 
will  be  pleafed  to  inform  me,  whether  the  public  good  of 
a  nation  doth  not  imply  the  particular  good  of  its  individ- 
uals ? 

Lys. — It  doth. 

EuPH. — And  doth  not  the  good  or  happlnefs  of  a  man 
confift,  in  having  both  foul  and  body  found  and  in  good 
condition,  enjoying  thofe  things,  which  their  refpeclive 
natures  require,  and  free  from  thofe  things  which  are  odi- 
ous or  hurtful  to  them, 

Lys. — I  do  not  deny  all  this  to  be  true. 

EuPH. — Now  it  would  feem  v/orth  while  to  confider, 
whether  the  regular  decent  life  of  a  virtuous  man  may 
not  as  much  conduce  to  tliis  end,  as  the  mad  fallies  of  in- 
temperance and  debauchery. 

Lys. — I  will  acknowledge,  that  a  nation  may  merely 
fubfift,  or  be  kept  alive,  but  it  is  impoflible  it  fliould  flour- 
ifh  without  the  aid  of  vice.  To  produce  a  quick  circula- 
tion of  traffic  and  wealth  in  a  ftate,  there  mud  be  exorbi- 
tant and  irregular  motions  in  the  appetites  and  paffions. 

EuPH. — The  more  people  a  nation  contains,  and  the 
happier  thofe  people  are,  the  more  that  nation  may  be 
faid  to  flourifh.      I  think  we  are  agreed  in  this  point. 

Lys. — We  are. 

EuPH. — You  allow  then,  that  riches  are  not  an  ultimate 
end,  but  fhould  only  be  confidered  as  the  means  to  procure 
happinefs. 

Lys. — I  do. 

EuPH. — It  feems,  that  means  cannot  be  of  ufs  with- 
out our  knowing  the  end,  and  how  to  apply  them  to  it. 

Lys. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPH. — Will  it  not  follow,  that  in  order  to  make  a  na- 
tion flourifii,  it  is  not  fufficient  to  make  it  wealthy,  with- 


75  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  IL] 

out  knowing  the  true  end  and  happinefs  of  mankind,  and 
how  to  apply  wealth  towards  attaining  that  end  ?  In  pro- 
portion as  thefe  points  are  known  and  pra6lifed,  I  think 
the  nation  fhould  be  likely  to  flourifli.  But  for  a  people, 
who  neither  know  nor  praftife  them,  to  gain  riches,  feems 
to  me  the  fame  advantage  that  it  would  be  for  a  lick  man 
to  come  at  plenty  of  meat  and  drink,  whigh  he  could  not 
ufe  but  to  his  hurt- 

Lys. — This  is  mere  fophiflry ;  it  is  arguing  witliout 
perfuading.  Look  into  common  life  *,  examine  the  pur- 
fuits  of  men  •,  have  a  due  refpe£t  for  the  confent  of  the 
world  ;  and  you  will  foon  be  convinced,  that  riches  alone 
are  fufficient  to  m.ake  a  nation  flourifhing  and  happy. 
Give  them  riches,  and  they  will  make  themfelves  happy, 
without  that  political  invention,  that  trick  of  llatefmen 
and  Phiiofophers,  called  virtue. 

XI.  EuPH. — "Virtue  then,  in  your  account,  is  a  trick 
of  ilatefmen. 
Lys. It  is. 

EuPH. — Why  then  do  your  fagacious  fe6t  betray  and 
divulge  that  trick  or  fecret  (late,  which  wife  men  have 
judged  neceiTary  for  the  good  government  of  the  world  ,•* 
Lyficles  hefitating,  Crito  made  anfwer,  that  he  prefumed  it 
was  becaufe  their  fe6t,  being  wifer  than  all  other  wife  men, 
difdained  to  fee  the  world  governed  by  wrong  maxims, 
and  would  fet  all  things  on  a  right  bottom. 

EuPH. — Thus  much  is  certain  :  If  we  look  into  all 
inftitutions  of  government,  and  the  political  writings  of 
fuch  as  have  heretofore  pafied  for  wife  men,  we  (hall  find 
a  great  regard  for  virtue. 

Lys. — You  Drali  nnd  a  ftrong  tin£lure  of  prejudice. 
But,  as  I  faid  before,  confult  the  multitude,  if  you  would 
find  nature  and  truth. 

EuPH. — But  among  country  gentlemen,  and  farmers, 
and  the  better  fort  of  tradefmen,  is  not  virtue  a  reputable 
thing  ? 


CDiAL.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  77 

Lys. — You  pick  up  authorities  among  men  of  low 
life  and  vile  education. 

EuPH. — Perhaps  we  ought  to  pay  a  decent  refpe6t  to 
the  authority  of  Minute  Philofophers. 

Lys. — And  I  would  fain  know,  whofe  authority  fhould 
be  more  confidered,  than  that  of  thofe  gentlemen,  who  are 
alone  above  prejudice,  and  think  for  themfelves. 

EupH. —  How  doth  it  appear,  that  you  are  the  only  un- 
prejudiced part  of  mankind  ?  m?.y  not  a  Minute  Philofo- 
pher,  as  well  as  another  man,  be  prejudiced  in  favor  of 
the  leaders  of  his  feet  ?  May  not  an  atheiftical  education 
prejudice  towards  atheifm  ?  what  fhould  hinder  a  man's 
being  prejudiced  againfl  religion,  as  well  as  for  it  ?  or  can 
you  afTign  any  reafon,  why  an  attachment  to  pleafure,  in- 
tereft,  vice  or  vanity,  may  not  be  fuppofed  to  prejudice 
men  againft  virtue  ? 

Lys. — This  is  pleafant.  What !  Suppofe  thofe  very 
men  influenced  by  prejudice,  who  are  always  difputing 
againft  it,  whofe  conftant  aim  it  is  to  deteft  and  demolifh 
prejudices  of  all  kinds  !  except  their  own,  replied  CritOy 
for  you  muft  pardon  me,  if  I  cannot  help  thinking  they 
have  fome  fmall  prejudice,  though  not  in  favor  of  virtue. 

XII.  I  obferv'e,  Lxficles,  that  you  allowed  to  Euphra- 
noTy  the  greater  number  of  happy  people  are  in  a  ftate, 
the  more  that  ftate  may  be  faid  to  flourifh  :  It  follows 
therefore.  That  fuch  methods  as  multiply  inhabitants  are 
good,  and  fuch  as  diminifh  them  are  bad  for  the  public. 
And  one  would  think  no  body  need  be  told,  that  the 
ftrength  of  a  ftate  confifts  more  in  the  number  and  fort 
of  people,  than  in  any  thing  elfe.  ^ut  in  proportion  as 
vice  and  luxury,  thofe  public  blefTmgs  encouraged  by 
this  Minute  Pnilofophy,  prevail  among  us,  fewer  are 
difpofed  to  marry,  too  many  being  diverted  by  pleafure, 
difabled  by  difeafe,  or  frightened  by  expenfe.  Nor  doth 
vice    only   thin  a  nation,  but   alfo  debafeth  it  by  a  pu- 


78  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

ny  degenerate  race.  I  might  add,  that  it  is  ruinous  to  our 
manufactures  ;  both  as  it  makes  labor  dear,  and  thereby 
enables  our  more  frugal  neighbors  to  underfel  us  :  and  al- 
fo,  as  it  diverts  the  lower  fort  of  people  from  honeft  call- 
ings to  wicked  projects.  If  thefe,  and  fuch  confidera- 
tions,  were  taken  into  the  account,  I  believe  it  would  be 
evident  to  any  man  in  his  fenfes,  that  the  imaginary  bene- 
fits of  vice  bear  no  proportion  to  the  folid  real  woes  that 
attend  it.  Lyficles^  upon  this,  fhook  his  head,  and  fmi- 
led  at  Critoy  without  vouchfafing  any  other  anfwer.  Af- 
ter which,  addreffing  himfelf  to  Eitphramry  there  cannot, 
faid  he,  be  a  ftronger  inftance  of  prejudice,  than  that  a 
man  fhould  at  this  time  of  day  preferve  a  reverence  for  that 
idol,  virtue,  a  thing  fo  effeClually  expofed  and  exploded 
by  the  moft  knowing  men  of  the  age,  who  have  fhewn, 
that  man  is  a  mere  engine,  played  upon  and  driven  about 
by  fenfibie  obje<9:s  :  and  that  moral  virtue  is  only  a  name, 
a  notion,  a  chimera,  an  enthufiafm,  or  at  beft  a  fafhion, 
uncertain  and  changeable,  like  all  other  faftiions.* 

EuPH. — What  do  you  think,  Lyficlesy  of  health  ^  doth 
it  depend  on  fancy  and  caprice,  or  is  it  fomething  real  in 
the  bodily  compofition  of  a  man  ? 

Lys. — Health  is  fomething  real,  which  refults  from 
the  right  conftitution  and  temperature  of  the  organs,  and 
the  fluids  circulating  through  them. 

EuPH. — This,  you  fay,  is  health  of  body. 

Lys. —  It  is. 

EupH. — And  may  we  not  fuppofe  an  healthy  confti- 
tution of  foul,  when  the  notions  are  right,  the  judgments 
true,  the  will  regular,  the  paflions  and  appetites  direct- 
ed to  their  proper  obje£ts,  and  confined  within  due 
bounds  ?  This,  in  regard  to  the  foul,  feems  what  health 
is  to  tne  body.  And  the  man,  whofe  mind  is  fo  conftituted, 

*  In  morals,  there  is  no  greater  certainty,  than  in  fafhions.     Fable  of 
the  Bees,  Part  the  Firft,  p.  379. 


[Dial.  H.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  79 

is  he  not  properly  called  virtuous  ?  And  to  produce  this  heal- 
thy difpofition  in  the  minds  of  his  countrymen,  fhould 
not  every  good  man  employ  his  endeavors  ?  If  thefe  things 
have  any  appearance  of  truth,  as  to  me  they  feem  to  have, 
it  will  not  then  be  fo  clear  a  point,  that  virtue  is  a 
mere  whim,  or  fafhion,  as  you  are  pleafed  to  reprefent 
it :  I  muft  ovni,  fomething  unexpectedly,  after  vt'hat  had 
been  difcourfed  in  laft  evening's  conference,  v^hich,  if  you 
would  call  to  mind,  it  might  perhaps  fave  both  of  us  feme 
a-ouble. 

Lys. — Would  you  knov/  the  truth,  Euphranor  ?  I 
muft  own,  I  have  quite  forgot  all  your  difcourfe  about 
virtue,  duty,  and  all  fuch  points,  which,  being  of  an 
airy,  notional  nature,  are  apt  to  vanifh,  and  leave  no 
trace  on  a  mind  accuftomed  only  to  receive  imprefiion 
from  realities. 

XIII.  Having  heard  thefe  words,  Euphranor  looked  at 
Cr'ito  and  me,  and  faid  fmiling,  I  have  miflaken  my  part : 
it  was  mine  to  learn,  and  his  to  inftrucl:.  Then  addref- 
fmg  himfelf  ^to  Lyficks,  Deal  faithfully,  faid  he,  and  let 
me  know  whether  the  public  benefit  of  vice  be,  in  truth, 
that  which  makes  you  plead  for  it  ? 

Lys. — I  love  to  fpeak  frankly  what  I  tJiink.  Know  then, 
that  private  intereft  is  the  firft  and  principal  confideration 
withphilofophers  of  our  fe£l.  Now,  of  all  interefts,  plea- 
fure  is  that  which  hath  the  ftrongeft  charms,  and  no  plea- 
fures  like  thofe  which  are  heightened  and  enlivened  by 
licence.  Herein  confifts  the  peculiar  excellency  of  our 
principles,  that  they  (hew  people  how  to  ferve  their  coun- 
try by  diverting  themfelves,  caufmg  the  two  ftreams  of 
public  fpirit  and  felf-love  to  unite  and  run  in  the  fame 
channel.  I  have  told  you  already,  that  I  admit  a  nation 
might  fubfift  by  the  rules  of  virtue.  But  give  me  leave 
to  fay,  it  will  barely  fubfift  in  a  dull,  joylefs,  infipid 
ftate  ;  whereas,  the  fprightly  exceffes  of  vice  infpire  men 


Bo  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

with  joy.  And  where  particulars  rejoice,  the  public, 
which  is  made  up  of  particulars,  muft  do  fo  too  :  that  is, 
the  public  muft  be  happy.  This  I  take  to  be  an  irrefra- 
gable argument.  But,  to  give  you  its  full  force,  and 
make  it  as  plain  as  polTible,  I  will  trace  things  from  their 
original.  Happinefs  is  the  end  to  which  created  beings 
naturally  tend,  but  we  find  that  all  animals,  whether  men 
or  brutes,  do  naturally  and  principally  purfue  real  plea- 
fare  of  fenfe  ;  which  is  therefore  to  be  thought  their  fu- 
preme  good,  their  true  end  and  happinefs.  It  is  for  this 
men  live  ;  and,  whoever  underftands  life,  muft  allow 
that  man  to  enjoy  the  top  and  flower  of  it,  who  hath  a 
quick  fenfe  of  pleafure,  and  withal,  fpirit,  fkill,  and  for- 
tune, fufficient  to  gratify  every  appetite,  and  every  tafte. 
Niggards  and  fools  will  envy  or  traduce  fuch  a  one,  be- 
caufe  they  cannot  equal  him.  Hence,  all  that  fober  tri- 
fling, in  difparagement  of  what  every  one  would  be  maf- 
ter  of  if  he  could,  a  full  freedom  and  unlimited  fcope  of 
pleafure. 

EuPH. — Let  me  fee  whether  I  underftand  you.  Plea- 
fure of  fenfe,  you  fay,  is  the  chief' pleafure. 

Lys.'' — I  do. 

EuPH. — And  this  would  be  crampt  and  diminifhed  by- 
virtue. 

Lys.— It  v/ould. 

EupK. — Teii  me,  Lyficks,  is  pleafure  then  at  the 
height  when  the  appetites  are  fatisfied  ? 

Lys. — There  is  then  only  an  indolence,  the  lively  fenfe 
of  pleafure  being  paft. 

EupH. — It  muft  feem,  therefore,  that  the  appetites 
muft  be  always  craving  to  preferve  pleafure  ahve. 

Lys. — That  is  cur  fenfe  of  the  matter. 

EupH. — ^The  Greek  philofopher,  therefore,  was  in  the 
right,  who  confidered  the  body  of  a  man  of  pleafure  as  a 
leaky  veflel,  always  filling,  and  never  full. 

Lys.—- You  may  divert  yourfelf  with  allegories,  if  you 


[Dial.  II.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  Sr 

pteafe.  But  all  the  while  ours  is  literally  the  true  tafte  of 
nature.  Look  throughout  the  univerfe,  and  you  fhall  find 
birds  and  fifhes,  beafts  and  infecls,  all  kinds  of  animalsj 
with  which  the  creation  fwarms,  conftantly  engaged,  by 
mftinft,  in  the  purfuit  of  fenfible  pleafure.  And  ih  all  man 
alone  be  the  grave  fool,  who  thwarts,  and  crolles,  and 
fubdues  his  appetites,  while  his  fellow  creatures  do  all 
moft  joyfully  and  freely  indulge  them  ? 

EuPH. — How  !  Lyficles  I  I  thought,  that  being  govern- 
ed by  the  fenfes,  appetites,  and  pafllons,  was  the  mofl 
grievous  flavery :  and  that  the  proper  bufmefs  of  free- 
thinkers, or  philofophers,  had  been  to  fet  men  free  from 
thft  power  of  ambition,  avarice,  and  fenfuality. 

Lys.— You  miftake  the  point.  "We  make  men  relifh 
the  world,  attentive  to  their  interefts,  lively  and  luxurious 
in  their  pleafures,  without  fear  or  reftraint  either  from 
God  or  man.  We  defpife  thofe  preaching  writers,  who 
ufed  to  difturb  or  cramp  the  pleafures  and  amufements  of 
human  life.  We  hold,  that  a  wife  man,  who  meddles 
with  bufinefs,  doth  it  altogether  for  his  intereft,  and  re- 
fers bis  intereft  to  his  pleafure.  With  us  it  is  a  maxim, 
that  a  man  (hould  feize  the  m.oments  as  they  fly.  With- 
out love,  and  wine,  and  play,  and  late  hours,  we  hpld 
life  not  to  be  worth  living.  I  grant,  indeed,  that  there 
is  fomething  grofs  and  ill-bred  in  the  vices  of  mean  men, 
which  the  genteel  philofopher  abhors. 

Cri. — But  to  cheat,  whore,  betray,  get  drunk  ;  do  all 
thefe  things  decently,  this  is  true  wifdom  and  elegance  of 
tafte. 

XIV.  EuPH. — To  me,  who  have  been  ufed  to  anotliei- 
way  of  thinking,  this  new  philofophy  feems  difficult  to 
digeft.  I  muft  therefore  beg  leave  to  examine  its  princi- 
ples, with  the  fame  freedom  that  you  do  thnfe  rf 
other  fefts. 

Lys.™  Agreed. 

L 


82  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

EuPH.»— You  fay,  if  I  miftake  not,  that  a  wife  man 
purfues  only  his  private  intereft,  and  that  this  confifts  in 
fenfual  pleafure  ;  for  proof  whereof,  you  appeal  to  nature. 
Is  not  this  what  you  advance  ? 

Lys. — It  is. 

EuPH. — You  conclude,  therefore,  that  as  other  ani- 
mals are  guided  by  natural  inftinft,  man  too  ought  to 
follow  the  diftates  of  fenfe  and  appetite. 

Ly&: — I  do. 

EuPH. — But  in  this,  do  you  not  argue  as  if  man  had 
only  fenfe  and  appetite  for  his  guides,  on  which  fuppo- 
fition  there  might  be  truth  in  what  you  fay  ?  But  what 
if  he  hath  intelle6i:,  reafon,  a  higher  inftin6t,  and  a  no- 
bler life  ?  If  this  be  the  cafe,  and  you,  being  man,  live 
like  a  brute,  is  it  not  |*he  way  to  be  defrauded  of  your 
true  happinefs  .''  to  be  mortified  and  difappointed  ?  Con- 
fider  moll  forts  of  brutes  :  you  fhall,  perhaps,  find  them 
have  a  greater  (hare  of  fenfual  happinefs  than  man. 

Lys. — To  our  forrow,  we  do.  This  hath  made  feveral 
gentlemen  of  our  fe<5t  envy  brutes,  and  lament  the  lot 
of  human  kind. 

Cri. — It  was  a  confideration  of  this  fort,  which  infpir- 
ed  Erotylus  w^ith  the  laudable  ambition  of  wiftiing  himfelf 
a  fnail,  upon  hearing  of  certain  particularities  difcovered 
in  that  animal  by  a  modern  virtuofo. 

EuPK. — Tell  me,  Lyficlesy  if  you  had  an  inexhaufti- 
ble  fund  of  gold  'and  filver,  fliould  you  envy  another  for 
having  a  little  m°ore  copper  than  you  ? 

Lys. — I  fhoul'd  not. 

EupH — Are'  not  reafon,  imagination,  and  fenfe,  fa- 
culties differing  in  kind,  and  in  rank  higher  one  than  ano- 
ther ? 

Lys. — I  do  jtiot  deny  it. 

EupH. —  Their  a£l:s,  therefore,  diifer  in  kind. 

Lys. — They  do. 

EupH. — Confcquently,  the  pleafures  perfe£i:ive  of  thofc 
ads  sre  aifo  different. 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  83 

Lys. — They  are. 

EupH. — You  admit,  therefore,  three  forts  of  pleafure  : 
pleafure  of  reafon,  pleafure  of  imagination,  and  pleafure 
of  {en(e. 

Lys. — I  do. 

EuPH. — And,  as  it  is  reafonable  to  think,  the  opera- 
tion of  the  highefl  and  nobleft  faculty  to  be  attended  with 
the  higheft  pleafure,  may  we  not  fuppofe  the  two  former 
to  be  as  gold  or  filver,  and  the  latter  only  as  copper  ? 
Whence  it  (hould  feem  to  follow,  that  man  need  not  en- 
vy or  imitate  a  brute. 

Lys. — And  neverthelefs  there  are  very  ingenious  men 
who  do.  And  furely  every  one  may  be  allowed  to  know 
what  he  wants,  and  wherein  his  true  happinefs  confifts. 

EuPH. — Is  it  not  plain,  that  different  animals  have  dif- 
ferent pleafures  ?  Take  a  hog  from  his  ditch  or  dunghill, 
lay  him  on  a  rich  bed,  treat  him  with  fweetmeats,  and 
mufic,  and  perfumes  :  All  thefe  things  will  be  no  enter- 
tainment to  him.  Do  not  a  bird,  a  beafl,  a  fifh,  amufe 
themfelves  in  various  manners,  infomuch  that  what  is 
pleafing  to  one,  may  be  death  to  another  ?  Is  it  ever  feen, 
that  one  of  thefe  animals  quits  its  own  element,  or  way 
of  living,  to  adopt  that  of  another  ?  And  fhall  man  quit 
his  own  nature  to  imitate  a  brute  ? 

Lys. — But  fenfe  is  not  only  natural  to  brutes  -,  is  it 
not  alfo  natural  to  man  ? 

EuPH. — It  is,  but  with  this  difference ;  it  maketh 
the  whole  of  a  brute's,  but  is  the  loweft  part,  or  faculty, 
of  a  human  foul.  The  nature  of  any  thing  is  peculiarly 
that  which  doth  diftinguifh  it  from  other  things,  not 
what  it  hath  in  common  with  them.  Do  you  allow  this 
to  be  true  ? 

Lys. — I  do. 

EuPH.— And  is  not  reafon  that  which  makes  the  prin- 
cipal difference  between  man  and  other  animals  .'* 

Lys. — It  is. 


84  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.} 

EuPH. — Reafon,  therefore,  being  the  principal  part 
of  our  nature,  whatever  is  moft  reafonable,  fhould  feem 
moft  natural  to  man.  Muft  we  not,  therefore,  think  ra- 
tional pleafures  more  agreeable  to  human  kind,  than  thofe 
of  fenfe  ?  Man  and  beaft,  having  different  natures,  feem 
to  have  different  faculties,  different  enjoyments,  and  dif- 
ferent forts  of  happinefs.  You  can  eafily  conceive,  that 
the  fort  of  life  which  makes  the  happinefs  of  a  mole,  or  a 
bat,  would  be  a  very  wretched  one  for  an  eagle.  And 
may  you  not  as  well  conceive,  that  the  happinefs  of  a 
brute  can  never  conlHtute  the  true  happinefs  of  a  man  ? 
A  beafl,  without  refleclion  or  remorfe,  without  forefight 
or  appetite  of  immortality,  without  notion  of  vice  or 
virtue,  or  order,  or  reafon,  or  knowledge  !  What  mo- 
tives, what  grounds  can  there  be  for  bringing  down  man, 
in  whom  ?re  ail  thefe  things,  to  a  level  with  fuch  a  crea- 
ture ?  What  merit,  what  ambition,  in  the  Minute  Philo- 
fopher,  to  make  fuch  an  animal  a  guide  or  rule  for  hu- 
man life  ? 

XV.  Lys. — It  is  flrange,  Riiphranory  that  one  who 
admits  freedom  of  thought,  as  you  do,  ihould  yet  be 
fuch  a  "flave  to  prejudice.  You  flill  talk  of  order  and 
virtue,  as  of  real  things,  as  if  our  philofophers  had  never 
demonFtrated,  that  they  have  no  foundation  in  nature, 
rjid  are  only  the  effeifls  of  education.  I  know,  faid  CritOy 
how  the  Minute  Philofophers  are  accuflomed  to  demon- 
ftrate  this  point.  They  confider  the  animal  nature  of 
man,  or  man  fo  far  forth  as  he  is  animal  :  and  it  muft 
be  owned  that,  confidered  in  that  light,  he  hath  no  fenfe 
of  duty,  no  notion  of  virtue.  He,  therefore,  who  ihould 
look  for  virtue  among  mere  animals,  or  human  kind,  as 
fach,  would  look  in  the  wrong  place.  But  that  philofo- 
phey,  who  is  attentive  only  to  the  animal  part  of  his  be- 
ing, and  raifeth  his  theories  from  the  very  dregs  of  our 
fpccies,  may,  probably,  upon  fecoiid  thoughts,  find  him- 
fclf  mifiaken. 


[Dial.  II.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  t^ 

Look  you,  Crkoy  faid  Lyftcles^  my  argument  is  with 
Euphranory  to  whom  addreffing  his  difeourfe,  I  obferve, 
faid  he,  that  you  ftand  much  upon  the  dignity  of  human 
nature.  This  thing  of  dignity  is  an  old  worn-out  notion, 
which  depends  on  other  notions,  old  and  ilaie  and  worn- 
out,  fueh  as  an  immaterial  fpirit,  and  a  ray  derived 
from  the  Divinity.  But,  in  thefe  days,  men  of  fenfe 
make  a  jefl  of  all  this  grandeur  and  dignity  :  and  many 
there  are,  would  gladly  exchange  their  iliare  of  it,  for 
the  repofe,  and  freedom,  and  fenfuality  of  a  brute.  But 
comparifons  are  odious  :  waving,  therefore,  all  inquiry 
concerning  the  rcfpe6live  excellencies  of  man  and  beaft, 
and  whether  it  is  beneath  a  man  to  follow  or  imitate 
brute  animals,  in  judging  of  the  chief  good  and  conduct: 
of  life  and  manners,  I  fhall  be  content  to  appeal  to  the 
authority  of  men  themfelves,  for  the  truth  of  my  notions. 
Do  but  look  abroad  into  the  world,  and  alk  the  common 
run  of  men,  whether  pleafure  of  fenfe  be  not  the  only 
true,  folid,  fubftantial  good  of  their  kind  ? 

EuPH. — But  might  not  the  fame  vulgar  fort  of  men 
prefer  a  piece  of  fign-poft  painting  to  one  of  RaphaePsy  or 
a  Gruh'Jlreet  ballad  to  an  ode  of  Horace  ?  Is  there  not  a 
real  diiTerence  between  good  and  bad  writing  ? 

Lys. — There  is. 

EuPH. — And  yet  you  will  allow,  there  muft  be  a  ma- 
turity and  improvement  of  underilanding,  to  difcern  this 
difference,  which  doth  not  make  it,  therefore,  lefs  real. 

Lys. — I  will. 

EuPH. — In  the  fame  manner,  what  fliould  hinder,  but 
there  may  be,  in  nature,  a  true  difference  between  vice 
and  virtue,  although  it  requires  fome  degree  of  refledtion 
and  judgment  to  obferve  it  ?  In  order  to  know  whether  a 
thing  be  agreeable  to  the  rational  nature  of  man,  it  feems, 
one  (hould  rather  obferve  and  confult  thofe  who  have 
mofl  employed,  or  improved  their  reafon. 

Lys. — Well,  I  fliall  not  infifl  on  confulting  the  com- 


$6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

mon  herd  of  mankind.  From  the  ignorant  and  grofs  vul- 
gar, I  might  myfelf  appeal,  in  many  cafes,  to  men  of  rank 
and  fafliion. 

EupH. — They  are  a  fort  of  men,  I  have  not  the  honor  to 
know  much  of  by  my  own  obfervation.  But  I  remember 
a  remark  of  Arijiotle,  who  was  himfelf  a  courtier,  and 
knew  them  well.  "  Virtue,  faith  he,  *  and  good  fcnfe, 
are  not  the  property  of  high  birth,  or  a  great  eftate.  Nor, 
if  they,  who  poflefs  thefe  advantages,  wanting  a  tafte  for 
rational  pleafures,  betake  themfelves  to  thofc  of  fenfe  5 
ought  we,  therefore,  to  efteem  them  eligible,  any  more 
than  we  fliould  the  toys  and  paftimes  of  children,  becaufe 
they  feem  fo  to  them  ?"  And  indeed,  one  may  be  allow- 
ed to  queftion,  whether  the  trueft  eftimate  of  things  was 
to  be  expected  from  a  mind  intoxicated  with  luxury,  and 
dazzled  with  the  fplendor  of  high  living. 

Cumjliipet  infants  acies  fulgorihus^   ^  cum 
Acclinis  falfis  animus  melior a  r ecu/at »  HoR. 

CiitOf  upon  this,  obferved,  that  he  knew  an  Englijh  no- 
bleman, who,  in  the  prime  of  life,  profefleth  a  liberal  art, 
and  is  the  firft  man  of  his  profeffion  in  the  world  :  and 
that  he  was  very  fure,  he  had  more  pleafure  from  the 
excrcife  of  that  elegant  art,  than  from  any  fenfual  enjoy- 
ment within  the  power  of  one  of  the  largeft  fortunes,  and 
mofl  bountiful  fpirits  in  Great- Britain, 

XVI.  Lys. — But  why  need  we  have  recourfe  to  the 
judgment  of  other  men  in  fo  plain  a  cafe  ?  I  appeal  to 
your  own  breaft  :  confult  that,  and  then  fay,  if  fenfual 
pleafure  be  not  the  chief  good  of  man. 

EuPH. — -I,  for  my  part,  have  often  thought  thofe  plea- 
fures, which  are  higheft  in  the  efteem  of  fenfualifts,  fo 
far  from  being  the  chiefeft  good,  that  it  feemed  doubtful, 
upon  the  whole,  whether  they  were  any  good  at  all,  any 

*  Ethic,  ad  Nicom.  1.  10.  c,  6. 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  87 

more  than  the  mere  removal  of  pain.     Are  not  our  wants 
and  appetites  uneafy  ^ 

Lys. — They  arc. 

EuPH. — Doth  not  fenfual  pleafure  confift  in  fatisfying 
them  ? 

Lys. — It  doth. 

EupH. — But  the  cravings  are  tedious,  the  fatisfa£lion 
momentary.      Is  it  not  fo  ? 

Lys. — It  is,  but  what  then  ? 

EuPH. — Why  then,  it  (hould  feem,  that  fenfual  pleafure 
is  but  a  fhort  deliverance  from  long  pain.  A  long  avenue 
of  uneafmefs  leads  to  a  point  of  pleafure,  which  ends  in 
difgufl  or  remorfe. 

Cri. — And  he  who  purfues  this  ignis  fatuus  imagines 
himfelf  a  Philofopher  and  free-thinker. 

Lys.— Pedants  are  governed  by  words  and  notions, 
while  the  wifer  men  of  pleafure  follow  faift,  nature,  and 
fenfe. 

Cri. — But  what  if  notional  pleafures  fhould,  in  fa£V, 
prove  the  moft  real  and  lading  }  Pure  pleafures  of  reafon 
and  imagination  neither  hurt  the  health,  nor  wafte  the 
fortune,  nor  gall  the  confcience.  By  them,  the  mind 
is  long  entertained  without  loathing  or  fatiety.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  notion,  (which,  with  you,  it  feems,  pafleth 
for  nothing)  often  embitters  the  moft  lively  fenfual  plea- 
fures, which,  at  bottom,  will  be  found  alfo  to  depend  upon 
notion,  more  than  perhaps  you  imagine  :  it  being  a  vul- 
gar remark,  that  thofe  things  are  more  enjoyed  by  hope 
and  foretafte  of  the  foul,  than  by  pofleflion.  Thus  much 
is  yielded,  that  adtual  enjoyment  is  very  fhort,  and  the 
alternative  of  appetite  and  difguft  long,  as  well  as  uneafy. 
So  that,  upon  the  whole,  it  fhould  feem  thofe  gentlemen, 
who  are  called  men  of  pleafure,  from  their  eager  purfuit 
of  it,  do  in  reality,  with  great  expenfe  of  fortune,  eafe, 
and  health,  purchafe  pain. 

Lys.- — You  may  fpin  out  plaufible  arguments,  but  will, 


88  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  H.] 

after  all,  find  it  a  difficult  matter  to  convince  nr\e,  that  fo 
many  ingenious  men  ftiould  not  be  able  to  diftinguiih  be- 
tween things  fo  direftly  oppofite  as  pain  and  pleafure. 
How  is  it  poffible  to  account  for  this  ? 

Cri. — I  believe  a  reafon  may  be  affigned  for  it,  but  to 
men  of  pleafure  no  truth  is  fo  palitable  as  a  fable.  Jove 
once  upon  a  time  having  ordered,  that  pleafure  and  pain 
fhould  be  mixed,  in  equal  proportions,  in  every  dofe  of  hu- 
man life,  upon  a  complaint  that  fome  men  endeavored  to 
feparate  whathehad  joined,  and  taking  more  than  their  fhare 
of  the  f\^seet,  v/ould  leave  all  the  four  for  others,  comman- 
ded Mercury  to  put  a  flop  to  this  evil,  by  fixing  on  each 
delinquent  a  pair  of  invifible  fpeftacles,  which  fhould 
change  the  appearance  of  things,  making  pain  look  like 
pleafure,  and  pleafure  like  pain,  labour  like  recreation,  and 
recreation  like  labour.  From  that  time,  the  men  of  plea- 
fure are  eternally  miftaking  and  repenting, 

Lys. — If  your  doftrine  takes  place,  I  would  fain  know 
what  can  be  the  advantage  of  a  great  fortune,  which  all 
mankind  fo  eagerly  purfue  ? 

Cri.— -It  is  a  common  faying  with  Eucraies^  that  a  great 
fortune  is  an  edged  tooly  nvhich  a  hundred  may  come  at^  for 
one  nvho  knows  how  to  ufe  it,  fo  much  ealier  is  the  art  of  get- 
ting, than  that  of  fpending.  What  its  advantage  is,  I  will 
not  fay,  but  I  will  venture  to  declare  v/hat  it  is  not.  I  am 
fure  that  where  abundance  excludes  want,  and  enjoyment 
prevents  appetite,  there  is  not  the  quickeft  fenfe  of  thofe 
pleafures  we  have  been  fpeaking  of :  in  which  the  footman 
hath  often  a  greater  fliare  than  his  lord,  who  cannot  enlarge 
his  flomach  in  proportion  to  his  eftate. 

XVII.  Reafonable  and  well-educated  men,  of  all  ranks, 
have,  I  believe,  pretty  much  the  fame  amufements,  not- 
withftanding  the  difference  of  their  fortunes  :  but  thofe 
who  arc  particularly  cliilinguiflTied,  as  men  of  pleafure, 
fecm  to  pofTefs  it  in  a  very  fmall  degree. 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  89 

EuPH. — I  have  heard,  that  among  perfons  of  that  char- 
adler,  a  game  of  cards  is  efteemed  a  chief  diverfion. 

Lys. — Without  cards,  there  could  be  no  living  for  peo- 
ple of  fafliion.  It  is  the  moft  delightful  vi^ay  of  pafling  an 
evening,  w^hen  gentlemen  and  ladies  are  got  together,  who 
would  otherwife  be  at  a  lofs  what  to  fay  or  do  with  them- 
felves.  But  a  pack  of  cards  is  fo  engaging,  that  it  doth 
not  only  employ  them,  when  they  are  met,  but  ferves  to 
draw  them  together.  Quadrille  gives  them  pleafure  in 
profpeft,  during  the  dull  hours  of  the  day,  they  reflect  on 
it  with  delight,  and  it  furnifties  difcourfe  when  it  is  over, 

Cri. — One  would  be  apt  to  fufpe£l,  thofe  people  of  con- 
dition pafs  their  time  but  heavily,  and  are  but  little  the 
better  for  their  fortunes,  whofe  chief  amufement  is  a 
thing  in  the  power  of  every  footman,  who  is  as  well  qual- 
ified to  receive  pleafure  from  cards  as  a  peer.  I  can  eafi- 
ly  conceive  that,  when  people  of  a  certain  turn  are  got 
together,  they  (liould  prefer  doing  any  thing  to  the  ennui 
of  their  own  converfation  :  but  it  is  not  eafy  to  conceive, 
that  there  is  any  great  pleafure  in  this.  What  a  card- 
table  can  afford,  requires  neither  parts  nor  fortune  to 
judge  of. 

Lys. — ^Play  is  a  ferious  amufement;  that  comes  to  the 
relief  of  a  man  of  pleafure,  after  the  more  lively  and  af- 
fecting enjoyments  of  fenfe.  It  kills  time  beyond  any 
thing  j  and  is  a  moft  admirable  anodyne  to  divert  or  pre- 
vent thought,  which  might,  ctherwife,  prey  upon  the 
mind. 

Cri. — I  readily  comprehend,  that  no  man  upon  earth 
ought  to  prize  anodynes  for  the  fpleen,  more  than  a  man 
of  fafhion  and  pleafure.  An  ancient  fage,  fpeaking  of 
one  of  that  character,  faith,  he  is  made  wretched  by  dif- 
appointments  and  appetites,  lupeitai  apotnnchanon^  kai  ep'i- 
thumon.  And  if  this  ^x^as  true  of  the  Greeks,  who  lived 
in  the  fun,  and  had  no  fuch  fpirit,  I  am  apt  to  think  it  h 
dill  more  fo  of  our  modem  Englijh.     Something  there  is 

M 


90  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  11.] 

in  our  climate  and  complexion,  that  makes  idlenefs  no 
where  fo  much  its  own  puniftiment  as  in  Englandy  where 
an  uneducated  fine  gentleman  pays  for  his  momentary 
pleafures,  with  long  and  cruel  intervals  of  fpleen  ;  for  re- 
lief of  which,  he  is  driven  into  fenfual  excefles,  that  pro- 
duce a  proportionable  depreflion  of  fpirits,  which,  as  it 
createth  a  greater  want  of  pleafures,  fo  it  leflens  the  abili- 
ty to  enjoy  them.  There  is  a  caft  of  thought,  in  the 
complexion  of  an  Engiifiman^  which  renders  him  the 
mod  unfuccefsful  rake  in  the  world.  He  is  (as  Arijiotle 
expreiTeth  it)  at  variance  with  himfelf.  He  is  neither 
brute  enough  to  enjoy  his  appetites,  nor  man  enough  to 
govern  them.  He  knows  and  feels,  that  what  he  purfues 
is  not  his  true  good  ;  his  reflexion  ferving  only  to  ftiew 
him  that  mifery,  which  his  habitual  floth  and  indolence 
will  not  fuffer  him  to  remedy.  At  length,  being  grown 
odious  to  himfelf,  and  abhorring  his  own  company,  he 
runs  into  every  idle  afiembly,  not  from  the  hopes  of  plea- 
fure,  but  m.erely  to  refpite  the  pain  of  his  own  mind. — 
LilUefs  and  uneafy  at  the  prefent,  he  hath  no  delight  in 
reflefting  on  what  is  paft,  or  in  the  profpe£t  of  any 
thing  to  come.  This  man  of  pleafure,  when  after  a 
wretched  fcene  of  vanity  and  woe,  his  animal  nature  is 
worn  to  the  (lumps,  wiChes  and  dreads  death,  by  turns, 
and  is  fick  of  living,  without  having  ever  tried  or  known 
the  true  life  of  man. 

EupH. — It  is  well  this  fort  of  life,  which  is  of  fo  little 
benefit  to  the  owner,  conduceth  fo  much  to  that  of  th.^ 
public.  But  pray  tell  me,  do  thefe  gentlemen  fet  up  for 
Minute  Pliilofophers  ? 

Cri. — That  fe6t,  you  muft  know,  contains  two  forts 
of  philofophers,  the  wet  and  the  dry.  Thofe  I  have  been 
defcribing,  are  of  the  former  kind.  They  differ  rather  in 
pra£i:ice  than  in  theory.  As  an  older,  graver,  or  duller 
man,  from  one  that  is  younger,  and  more  capable  or  fond 
of  pleafure.      The   dry  philofophcr  paffeth  his  time  but 


[Dial.  U.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  91 

drily.  He  has  the  honor  of  pimping  for  the  vices  of  more 
fprightly  men,  who,  in  return,  offer  feme  fmall  incenfe 
to  his  vanity.  Upon  this  encouragement,  and  to  make 
his  own  mind  eafy,  when  it  is  paft  being  pleafed,  he 
employs  himfelf  in  juftifying  thofe  excefles  he  cannot 
partake  in.  But  to  return  to  your  queftion,  thofe  mifer- 
able  folk  are  mighty  men  for  the  Minute  Philofophy. 

EupH. — ^What  hinders  them,  tlien,  from  putting  an  end 
to  their  lives  ? 

CRi.~Their  not  being  perfuaded  of  the  truth  of  what 
they  profefs.  Some,  indeed,  in  a  fit  of  defpair,  do  now 
and  then  lay  violent  hands  on  themfelves.  And,  as  the 
Minute  Philofophy  prevails,  we  daily  fee  more  examples 
of  fuicide.  But  they  bear  no  proportion  to  thofe,  who 
would  put  an  end  to  their  lives,  if  they  durft.  My  friend, 
CliniaSy  who  had  been  one  of  them,  and  a  philofopher  of 
rank,  let  me  into  the  fecret  hiftory  of  their  doubts  and 
fears,  and  irrefolute'refolutions,  of  making  away  with 
themfelves  •,  which  laft,  he  aflures  me,  is  a  frequent  to- 
pic with  men  of  pleafure,  when  they  have  drunk  them- 
felves into  a  little  fpirit.  It  was  by  virtue  of  this  mechan- 
ical valour,  the  renowned  philofopher,  HermocmteSy  fhot 
himfelf  through  the  head.  The  fame  thing  hath  been 
pradlifed  by  feveral  others,  to  the  great  relief  of  their 
friends.  Splenetic,  worried,  and  frightened  oi;t  of  their 
wits,  they  run  upon  their  doom  with  the  fame  courage 
as  a  bird  runs  into  the  mouth  of  a  rattle-fnake  ;  not  be- 
caufe  they  are  bold  to  die,  but  becaufe  they  are  afraid  to 
live.  Clinias  endeavored  to  fortify  his  irreligion,  by  the 
difcourfe  and  opinion  of  other  Minute  Philofophers,  who 
were  mutually  ftrengthened  in  their  own  unbelief  by  his. 
After  this  manner,  authority  working  in  a  circle,  they 
endeavored  to  atheize  one  another.  But  though  he  pre- 
tended, even  to  a  demonftration,  againft  the  being  of  a 
God,  yet  he  could  not  inwardly  conquer  his  own  belief. 
He  fellfick,  and  acknowledged  this  truth  j  is  now  a  fo- 


g2  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

ber  man,  and  a  chrlftian  •,  owns  he  was  never  fo  happy 
as  fince  he  became  fuch,  nor  fo  wretched  as  while  he  was 
a  Minute  Philofopher.  And  he,  who  has  tried  both  con- 
ditions, may  be  allowed  a  proper  judge  of  both. 

Lys. — Truly,  a  fine  account  of  the  brightefl  and  bra- 
ved men  of  the  age ! 

Cri. — Bright  and  brave  are  fine  attributes.  But  our 
curate  is  of  opinion,  that  all  your  free-thinking  rakes  are 
either  fools  or  cowards.  Thus  he  argues  j  if  fuch  a  man 
doth  not  fee  his  true  intereft,  he  wants  fenfe  ;  if  he  doth, 
but  dare  not  purfue  it,  he  wants  courage.  In  this  man- 
ner, from  the  defe£l:  of  fenfe  and  courage,  he  deduceth, 
that  whole  fpecics  of  men,  who  are  fo  apt  to  value  them- 
felves  upon  both  thofe  qualities. 

Lys.- — As  for  their  courage,  they  are  at  all  times  ready 
to  give  proof  of  it  :  and,  for  their  underftanding,  thanks 
to  nature,  it  is  of  a  fize  not  to  be  meafured  by  country 
parfons. 

XVIII.  EuPH.— But  Socrates f  who  was  no  country  par- 
fon,  fufpefted  your  men  of  pleafure  were  fuch,  through  ig- 
norance. 

LYs.-*Ignorance  !   of  what .'' 

EuFH.— Of  the  art  of  computing.  It  was  his  opinion, 
that  rakes  cannot  reckon.*  And  that,  for  want  of  this 
fkiil,  they  make  wrong  judgments  about  pleafure,  on  the 
right  choice  of  which  their  happinefs  depends. 

Lys, — I  do  not  underftand  you. 

Eupk. — Do  you  grant  that  fenfe  perceiveth  only  fenfi- 
ble  things  ? 

Lys. — I  do. 

EupH. — Senfe  perceiveth  only  things  prefent. 

Lys. — This  too  I  grant. 

EuPH. — Future  pleafures,  therefore,  and  pleafures  of 
the  underftanding,  are  not  to  be  judged  of  by  fenfe. 


*  Plato  in  Pictag, 


[DiAL.IL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  93 

EuPH. — Thofe,  therefore,  who  judge  of  pleafures  by 
fenfe,  may  find  themfelves  miftaken  at  the  foot  of  the  ac- 
count. 

f  Cum  lapidofa  chiragra 
Contudit  articulos  veteris  ramalia  fagiy 
Turn  craffhs  transijfs  dies  hcemqiie  pahijlrem^ 
Et  ftbi  jam  Jeri  vitam  itigemuere  rellEiam. 

To  make  a  right  computation,  fliould  you  not  consider 
all  the  faculties,  and  all  the  kinds  of  pleafure,  taking  into 
your  account  the  future,  as  well  as  the  prefent,  and  rating 
them  all  according  to  their  true  value  ? 

Cri. — The  Epicureans  themfelves  allowed,  that  plea- 
fure, which  procures  a  greater  pain,  or  hinders  a  greater 
pleafure,  fhould  be  regarded  as  a  pain  ;  and,  that  pain, 
which  procures  a  greater  pleafure,  or  prevents  a  greater 
pain,  is  to  be  accounted  a  pleafure.  In  order,  therefore,  to 
make  a  true  eftimate  of  pleafure,  the  great  fpring  of  a£l:ion, 
and  that  from  whence  the  conduct  of  life  takes  its  bias, 
we  ought  to  compute  intellectual  pleafures  and  future  plea- 
fures, as  well  as  prefent  and  fenfible :  We  ought  to  make 
allowance  in  the  valuation  of  each  particular  pleafure,  for 
all  the  pains  and  evils,  for  all  the  difguft,  remorfe,  and 
fhame  that  attend  it :  We  ought  to  regard  both  kind  and 
quantity,  the  fincerity,  the  intenfenefs,  and  the  duration  of 
pleafures.  Let  a  free-thinker  but  bethink  himfelf,  how 
little  of  human  pleafure  confifts  in  adlual  fenfation,  and 
how  much  in  profpecl  !  let  him  then  compare  the  prof- 
pedl  of  a  virtuous  believer  with  that  of  an  unbelieving 
rake. 

EuPH. — And  all  thefe  points  duly  confidered,  will  not 
Socrates  feem  to  have  had  reafon  of  his  fide,  v/hen  he 
thought  ignorance  made  rakes,  and  particularly  their  being 
ignorant  of  what  he  calls  the  fcience  of  more  and  lefs,  great- 

t  Perfius,  Sat.  5. 


94  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

er  and  fmaller,  equality  and  comparifon,  that  is  to  fay,  of 
the  art  of  computing  ? 

Lys. — All  this  difcourfe  feems  notional.  For  real  abili- 
ties of  every  kind,  it  is  well  known  we  have  the  brighteft 
men  of  the  age  among  us.  But  all  thofe,  who  know  the 
world,  do  calculate,  that  what  you  call  a  good  chriflian, 
who  hath  neither  a  large  conscience  nor  unprejudiced  mind, 
muft  be  unfit  for  the  affairs  of  it.  Thus  you  fee,  while 
you  compute  yourfelves  out  of  pleafure,  others  compute 
you  out  of  bufmefs.  What  then  are  you  good  for,  with 
all  your  computation  ? 

EupH. — I  have  all  imaginable  refpe£^  for  the  abilities 
of  free-thinkers.  My  only  fear  was,  their  parts  might  be 
too  lively  for  fuch  flow  talents  as  forecaft  and  computation, 
the  gifts  of  ordinary  men. 

XIX.  Cri. — I  cannot  make  the  fame  compliment  that 
Euphrajior  does.  For  though  I  fhall  not  pretend  to  char- 
a6i:erize  the  whole  fe£l:,  yet  thus  much  I  may  truly  affirm  : 
That  thofe,  who  have  fallen  in  my  way,  have  been  moftly 
raw  men  of  pleafure,  old  Iharpers  in  bufinefs,  or  a  third 
fort  of  lazy  fciolifts,  who  are  neither  men  of  bufinefs,  nor 
men  of  fpeculation,  but  fet  up  for  judges,  or  critics,  in  all 
kinds,  without  having  made  a  progrefs  in  any.  Thefe, 
among  men  of  the  world,  pafs  for  profound  theorifts,  and, 
among  fpeculative  men,  would  feem  to  know  the  world  : 
a  conceited  race,  equally  ufelefs  to  the  affairs  and  ftudies 
of  mankind  !  Such  as  thefe,  for  the  mod  part,  feem  to  be 
fec^aries  of  the  Minute  Philofophy.  I  will  not  deny  that, 
now  and  then,  you  may  meet  a  man  of  eafy  manners,  that, 
without  thofe  faults  and  affeftations,  is  carried  into  the 
party  by  the  mere  dream  of  education,  faftiion,  or  compa- 
ny 5  all  which  do,  in  this  age,  prejudice  men  againft  reli- 
gion, even  thofe  who  mechanically  rail  at  prejudice.  I 
muft  not  forget,  that  the  Minute  Philofophers  havs  alfo  a 
ftrong  party  among  the  beaux  and  fine  ladies  ;  and,  as  af- 
fedations  out  of  chara6i:er  are  often  the  ftrongeft,  there  is 


[Dial.  II.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  g^ 

nothing  fo  dogmatical  and  inconvincible  as  one  of  thefe 
fine  things,  when  it  fets  up  for  free-thinking.  But,  be 
thefe  profeifors  of  the  fe£t  never  fo  dogmatical,  their  au- 
thority mull  needs  be  fmall  with  men  of  fenfe.  "Who 
would  choofe,  for  his  guide,  in  the  fearch  of  truth,  one 
whofe  thoughts  and  time  are  taken  up  with  drefs,  vifits, 
and  diverfions  ?  Or  whofe  education  hath  been  behind  a 
counter,  or  in  an  office  ?  Or  whofe  fpeculations  have  been 
employed  on  the  forms  of  bufinefs,  who  is  only  well  read 
in  the  ways  and  commerce  of  mankind,  in  ftock-jobbing, 
purloining,  fupplanting,  bribing  !  Or  would  any  man  in 
his  fenfes  give  a  fig  for  meditations  and  difcoveries,  made 
over  a  bottle  ?  And  yet  it  is  certain,  that  inftcad  of  thought, 
books,  and  fludy,  moft  free-thinkers  are  the  profelytes  of 
a  drinking  club.  Their  principles  are  often  fettled,  and 
decifions  on  the  deepeft  points  made,  when  they  are  not 
fit  to  make  a  bargain. 

Lys. — You  forget  our  writers,  Crito.  They  make  a 
world  of  profelytes. 

Cri. — So  v/ould  worfe  writers  in  fuch  a  caufe.  Alas  I 
how  few  read  !  and  of  thefe,  how  few  are  able  to  judge  ! 
how  many  wifh  your  notions  true  !  How  many  had  rather 
be  diverted  than  inflrufted  !  hov/  many  are  convinced  by 
a  title  !  I  may  allow  your  reafons  to  be  efFe£i:ual,  without 
allowing  them  to  be  good.  Arguments,  in  themfelves  of 
fmall  weight,  have  great  efFe<3:,  when  they  are  recommend- 
ed by  a  miflaken  interefl,  when  they  are  pleaded  for  by 
paflion,  when  they  are  countenanced  by  the  humor  of  the 
age  :  and,  above  all,  with  fome  fort  of  men,  when  they  are 
againft  law,  government,  and  eftablifhed  opinions  :  things 
which,  as  a  wife  or  good  man  would  not  depart  fi;om  with- 
out clear  evidence,  a  weak  or  a  bad  man,  will  afFe£l  to  dif- 
parage  on  the  flightelt  grounds. 

Lys. — And  yet  the  arguments  of  our  Philofophers 
alarm. 

Cri. — ^The  force  of  their  reafoning  is  not  what  alarms ; 


96  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  II.] 

their  contempt  of  laws  and  government  is  alarming  :  their 
application  to  the  young  and  ignorant  is  dangerous. 

EuPH. — But  without  difputing  or  difparaging  their  tal- 
ent at  ratiocination,  it  feems  very  poffible  their  fuccefs 
might  not  be  owing  to  that  alone.  May  it  not,  in  fome 
meafure,  be  afcribed  to  the  defe6ls  of  others,  as  well  as  to 
their  own  perfections  r  My  friend,  Eucrate^  ufed  to  fay, 
that  the  church  would  thrive  and  flourifh  beyond  all  oppo- 
fition,  if  fome  jfertain  perfons  minded  piety  more  than 
politics,  prattles'  than  polemics,  fundamentals  than  con- 
fe£tarie3,  fubftance  than  circumftance,  things  than  notions, 
and  notions  than  words. 

Lys. — Whatever  may  be  the  caufe,  the  efFe61:s  are  too 
plain  to  be  denied.  And  when  a  confidering  man  obferves 
that  our  notions  do,  in  this  mofl  learned  and  knowing  age, 
fpread  and  multiply,  in  oppofition  to  eftabliftied  laws,  and 
every  day  gain  ground  againfl  a  body  fo  numerous,  fo 
learned,  fo  well  fupported,  protected,  encouraged,  for  the 
fervice  and  defence  of  religion :  I  fay,  when  a  man  ob- 
ferves and  confiders  all  this,  he  will  be  apt  to  afcribe  it  to 
the  force  of  truth,  and  the  merits  of  our  caufe  ;  which, 
had  it  been  fupported  with  the  revenues  and  eftabhfhments 
of  the  church  and  univerfities,  you  may  guefs  what  a  figure 
it  would  make,  by  the  figure  that  it  makes  without  them. 

EuPH. — -It  is  much  to  be  pitied,  that  the  learned  profef- 
fcrs  of  your  feci:  do  not  meet  with  the  encouragement  they 
deferve. 

Lys.— ^ All  in  due  time.  People  begin  to  open  their 
eyes.  It  is  not  impoffible  thofe  revenues  that,  in  ignorant 
timesj  v/ere  applied  to  a  wrong  ufe,  may,  in  a  more  enlight- 
ened age,  be  applied  to  a  better. 

Cri. — But  v/hy  profeffors  and  encouragement  for  what 
needs  no  teaching  ?  An  acquaintance  of  mine  has  a  moft 
ingenious  footman,  that  can  neither  write  nor  read,  who 
learned  your  whole  fyftem  in  half  an  hour  :  He  knows 
when  and  how  to  nod,  fhake  his  head^  fmile,  and  give  a 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  97 

hint,  as  well  as  the  ableft  fceptic,  and  is>  in  fa<Sl,  a  very 
Minute  Philofopher. 

Lys. — Pardon  me,  it  takes  time  to  unlearn  religious  pre- 
judices, and  requires  aftronghcad. 

Cri. — I  do  not  know  how  it  might  have  been,  once  up- 
on a  time.  But  in  the  prefent  laudable  education,  I  know 
feveral,  who  have  been  imbued  with  no  religious  notions  at 
all ;  and  others,  who  have  had  them  fo  very  flight,  that 
they  rubbed  off  without  the  leaft  pains. 

XX'.  Panope,  young  and  beautiful,  under  the  care  of 
her  aunt,  an  admirer  of  the  Minute  Philofophy,  was  kept 
from  learning  the  principles  of  religion,  that  ihe  might  not 
be  accuftomed  to  believe  without  a  reafon,  nor  affent  to 
what  fhe  did  not  comprehend.  Panope  was  not,  indeed, 
prejudiced  with  religious  notions,  but  got  a  notion  of  intri- 
guing, and  a  notion  of  play,  which  ruined  her  reputation 
by  fourteen,  and  her  fortune  by  four  and  twenty.  I  have 
often  reflected  on  tjie  different  fate  of  two  brothers  in  my 
neighborhood.  Cleoriy  the  elder,  being  defigned  an  accom- 
plifhed  gentleman,  was  fent  to  town,  had  the  firft  part  of 
his  education  in  a  great  fchool :  What  religion  he  learned 
there,  was  foon  unlearned  in  a  certain  celebrated  fociety, 
which,  till  we  have  a  better,  may  pafs  for  a  nurfery  of  Mi- 
nute Philosophers.  Cleon  dreffed  well,  could  cheat  at 
cards,  had  a  nice  palate,  underftood  the  myftery  of  the  die, 
was  a  mighty  man  in  the  Minute  Philofophy.  And  hav- 
ing fhined  a  few  years,  in  thefe  accomplifhments,  he  died 
before  thirty,  childlefs  and  rotten,  exprefling  the  utmofl 
indignation  that  he  could  not  outlive  that  old  dog,  his 
father  -,  who,  having  a  great  notion  of  polite  manners,  and 
knowledge  of  the  world,  had  purchafed  them  to  his  favor- 
ite fon,  with  much  expenfe,  but  had  been  more  frugal  in 
the  education  of  Charephony  the  younger  fon  5  who  v/as 
brought  up  at  a  country-fchool,  and  entered  a  commoner 
in  the  univerfity,  where  he  qualified  himfelf  for  a  parfou- 
N 


98  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  IL] 

age  in  his  father's  gift,  which  he  is  now  pofTefled  of,  to- 
gether with  the  eftate  of  the  family,  and  a  numerous  off- 
fpring. 

Lys. — A  pack  of  unpoliflied  cubs,  I  warrant. 

Cri. — Lefs  poliflied,  perhaps,  but  more  found,  more 
honeft,  and  likely  to  be  more  ufeful,  than  many  who  pafs 
for  fine  gentlemen.  Crales,  a  worthy  juRice  of  the  peace, 
in  this  county,  having  had  a  fon  mifcarry  at  London,  by 
the  converfation  of  a  Minute  Philofopher,  ufed  to  fay, 
with  a  great  air  of  complaint,  if  a  man  fpoils  my  corn, 
or  hurts  my  cattle,  I  have  a  remedy  againft  him ;  but  if 
he  fpoils  my  children,  I  have  none. 

Lys. — I  warrant  you,  he  was  for  penal  methods  :  He 
would  have  had  a  law  to  perfecute  tender  confciences. 

Cri. — The  tender  confcience  of  a  Minute  Philofopher ! 
He,  who  tutored  the  fon  of  Crates ,  foon  after  did  juftice  on 
himfelf.  For  he  taught  Lycidas,  a  modeft  young  man,  the 
principles  of  his  fe<£t.  Lyddas,  in  return,  debauched  his 
daughter,  an  only  child :  Upon  which,  Charmides,  (that 
v/as  the  Minute  Philofopher's  name)  hanged  himfelf. 
Old  Buhalhn^  in  the  city,  is  carking,  and  fbarving,  and 
cheating,  that  his  fon  may  drink  and  game,  keep  miftrefT- 
es,  hounds,  and  horfes,  and  die  in  a  jail.  Buhalion,  never- 
thelefs,  thinks  himfelf  wife,  and  paffeth  for  one  that  minds 
the  main  chance.  He  is  a  Minute  Philofopher,  which 
learning  he  acquired  behind  the  counter,  from  the  works 
of  Prodicus  and  Trypkon.  This  fame  Buhallon  was  one 
night  at  fupper,  talking  againft  the  immortality  of  the  foul, 
with  two  or  three  grave  citizens,  one  of  whom,  the  next 
day,  declared  himfelf  bankrupt,  with  five  thoufand  pound 
oi  Buhalion' s  in  his  hands  \  and  the  night  following,  he  re- 
ceived a  note  from  a  fervant,  who  had,  during  his  lecture, 
waited  at  table,  demanding  the  fum  of  fifty  guineas  to  be 
laid  under  a  ftone,  and  concluding  with  moft  terrible 
threats  and  imprecations. 

Lys. — Not  to  repeat  what  hath  been  already  demon- 


[Dial.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  ^^ 

ftrated,  that  the  public  is,  at  bottom,  no  fufFerer  by  fuch 
accidents,  which,  in  truth,  are  inconvenient  only  to  private 
perfons,  who,  in  their  turn,  too,  may  reap  the  benefit  of 
them  :  I  iay,  not  to  repeat  all  that  hath  been  demouftra- 
ted  on  that  head,  I  (hall  only  afk  you,  whether  there  would 
not  be  rakes  and  rogues,  although  we  did  not  make  them  ? 
Believe  me,  the  world  always  was,  and  always  will  be  the 
fame,  as  long  as  men  are  men. 

Cri. — I  deny  that  the  world  is  always  the  fame.  Hu- 
man nature,  to  u^QAlciphron^s  comparifon,  is  like  land,  better 
or  worfe,  as  it  is  improved,  and  according  to  the  feeds  or 
principles  fown  in  it.  Though  no  body  held  your  tenets, 
I  grant  there  might  be  bad  men  by  the  force  of  corrupt 
appetites,  and  irregular  paffions.  But  where  men,  to  the 
force  of  appetite  and  palTion,  add  that  of  opinion,  and  are 
wicked  from  principle,  there  will  be  more  men  wicked, 
and  thofe  more  incurably  and  outrageoufly  fo.  The  er- 
ror of  a  lively  rake  lies  in  his  paflions,  and  may  be  reform- 
ed :  But  the  dry  rogue,  who  fets  up  for  judgment,  is  in- 
corrigible. It  is  an  obfervation  of  Arijlotles^  that  there 
are  two  forts  of  debauchees,  the  akrates  and  the  akolajlosy 
of  which  the  one  is  fo  againft  his  judgment,  the  other 
with  it  :  And  that  there  may  be  hopes  of  the  former,  but 
none  of  the  latter.  And,  in  fa6t,  I  have  always  obferved, 
that  a  rake,  who  was  a  Minute  Philofopher,  when  grown 
old,  becomes  a  fharper  in  bufmefs. 

Lys. — I  could  name  you  fevcral  fuch,  who  have  grown 
moft  noted  patriots. 

Cri. — -Patriots  !  fuch  patriots  as  Catiline  and  Marc 
Antony. 

Lys.— And  what  then  ?  Thofe  famous  Romans  were 
brave,  though  unfuccefsful.  They  wanted  neither  fenfe 
nor  courage ;  and  if  their  fchemes  had  taken  effect,  the 
brifker  part  of  their  countrymen  had  been  much  the  better 
for  them. 


TOO  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  II.j 

XXI.  The  wheels  of  government  go  on,  though  wound 
up  by  different  hands  :  if  not  in  the  fame  form,  yet  in 
fome  other,  perhaps  a  better.  There  is  an  endlefs  varie- 
ty in  things:  weak  men,  indeed,  are  prejudiced  towards 
rules  and  fyftems  in  hfe  and  government;  and  think  if 
thefe  are  gone,  all  is  gone  :  But  a  man  of  a  great  foul,  and 
free  fpirit,  delights  in  the  noble  experiment  of  blowing  up 
fyftems,  and  difTolving  governments,  to  mould  them  anew, 
upon  other  principles,  and  in  another  fliape.  Take  my 
word  for  it,  there  is  a  plaftic  nature  in  things,  that  feeks 
its  own  end.  Pull  a  Hate  to  pieces,  jumble,  confound, 
and  fhake  together  the  particles  of  human  fociety,  and 
then  let  thiem  ftand  a  while,  and  you  (hall  foon  fee  them 
fettle,  of  themfelves,  in  fome  convenient  order,  where 
heavy  heads  are  loweft,  and  men  of  genius  uppermoft. 

EuPH. — Lyftcles  fpeaks  his  mind  freely. 

Lys. — Where  v/as  the  advantage  of  free-thinking,  if  it 
were  not  attended  wjth  free-fpeaking,  or  of  free-fpeaking, 
if  it  did  not  produce  free-acting  ?  we  are  for  thorough, 
independent,  original  freedom.  Inward  freedom,  with- 
out outward,  is  good  for  nothing,  but  to  fet  a  man's  judg- 
ment at  variance  with  his  pra£tice. 

Cri.— This  free  way  of  Lyficks  may  feem  new  to  you  : 
it  is  not  fo  to  me.  As  the  Minute  Philofophers  lay  it  down 
for  a  maxim,  that  there  is  nothing  facred,  of  any  kind, 
nothing  but  what  may  be  made  a  jeft  of,  exploded,  and 
changed,  like  the  falhion  of  their  clothes  :  fo  nothing  is 
more  frequent,  than  for  them  to  utter  their  fchemes  and 
principles,  not  only  in  felect  companies,  but  even  in  public. 
In  a  certain  part  of  the  world,  where  ingenious  men  are 
wont  to  retail  their  fpeculations,  I  remember  to  have  feen 
a  Valetudinarian y  in  a  long  wig  and  a  cloke,  fitting  at  the 
upper  end  of  a  table,  with  half  a  dozen  difciples  about 
him.  After  he  had  talked  upon  religion,  in  a  manner, 
and  with  an  air,  that  would  make  .one  think  atheifm  eftab- 
lilhed  by  law,  and  religion  only  tolerated,  he  entered  upon 


[Dial,  n.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  loi 

civil  government ;  and  obferved  to  his  audience,  that  the 
natural  world  was  in  a  perpetual  circulation.  Animals, 
faid  he,  which  draw  their  fuftenance  from  the  earth,  mis 
with  that  fame  earth,  and,  in  their  turn,  become  food  for 
vegetables,  which  again  nourifli  the  animal  kind  :  The  va- 
pors that  afcend  from  this  globe,  defcend  back  upon  it  in 
fhowers  :  The  elements  alternately  prey  upon  each  other  : 
That  which  one  part  of  nature  iofeth,  another  gains  ;  the 
fum  total  rem.aining  always  the  fame,  being  neither  bigger 
nor  lefler,  better  nor  worfe,  for  all  thefe  inteftine  changes. 
Even  fo,  fgid  this  learned  profeflbr,  the  revolutions  in  the 
civil  world,  are  no  detriment  to  human  kind  :  one  part 
whereof  riles  as  the  other  falls,  and  wins  by  another's  lofs. 
A  man,  therefore,  who  thinks  deeply,  and  hath  an  eye  on 
the  whole  fyftem,  is  no  more  a  bigot  to  government  than 
to  religion.  He  knows  how  to  fuit  himfelf  to  occafions, 
and  make  the  beft  of  every  event  :  For  the  reft,  he  looks 
on  all  tranflations  of  power  and  property  from  one  hand  to 
another,  with  a  philofophic  indifference.  Our  le£lurer 
concluded  his  difcourfe  with  a  moft  ingenious  analyfis  of 
all  political  and  moral  virtues,  into  their  firft  principles  and 
caufes,  fhewing  them  to  be  mere  fafhions,  tricks  of  ftate, 
and  illufions  on  the  vulgar. 

Lys. — We  have  been  often  told  of  the  good  effects  of 
religion  and  learning,  churches  and  univerfities  :  But  I 
dare  affirm,  than  a  dozen  or  two  ingenious  men,  of  our 
fe6t,  have  done  more  towards  advancing  real  knowledge, 
by  extemporaneous  lectures,  in  the  compafs  of  a  few 
years,  than  all  the  ecclefiaftics  put  together,  for  as  many 
centuries. 

EuPH. — And  the  nation,  no  doubt,  thrives  accord- 
ingly. But,  it  feems,  Crito,  you  have  heard  them  dif- 
courfe. 

Cri. — Upon  hearing  this,  and  other  le6i:ures  of  the 
fame  tendency,  methought  it  was  needlefs  to  eftabHfh 
profeffors  for  the  Minute  Philofophy  in  either  univerfity, 


101  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  II.] 

\^.rhile  there  are  fo  many  fpontaneous  lecturers  in  every 
corner  of  the  ftreets,  ready  to  open  men's  eyes,  and  rub 
off  their  prejudices  about  religion,  loyalty,  and  public 
fpirit. 

Lys.— If  wifliing  was  to  any  purpofe,  I  could  wifti  for 
a  telefcope,  that  might  draw  into  my  view  things  future 
in  time,  as  well  as  diftant  in  place.  Oh  !  that  I  could 
but  look  into  the  next  age,  and  behold  what  it  is  that 
we  are  preparing  to  be,  the  glorious  harveft  of  our  prin- 
ciples ;  the  fpreading  of  which  hath  produced  a  vifible 
trendency  in  the  nation  towards  fomething  great  and  new. 

Cri. — One  thing,  I  dare  fay,  you  would  expert  to  fee, 
be  the  changes  and  agitations  of  the  public  what  they 
will,  that  is,  every  free-thinker  upon  his  legs.  You  are 
all  fons  of  nature,  who  cheerfully  follow  the  fortunes  of 
l^he  common  mafs. 

Lys. — And  it  mud  be  owned  we  have  a  maxim,  that 
each  fiould  take  care  of  one, 

Cri. — Alas,  Lyftcles,  you  wrong  your  own  character. 
You  would  fain  pafs  upon  the  world,  and  upon  yourfelves, 
for  interefted,  cunning  men  :  But  can  any  thing  be  more 
difinterefled,  than  to  facrifice  all  regards  to  the  abflra6t- 
ed  fpeculation  of  truth  ?  Or  can  any  thing  be  more  void 
of  all  cunning,  than  to  publifh  your  difcoveries  to  the 
vrorld,  teach  others  to  play  the  whole  game,  and  arm 
naankind  againfl;  yourfelves. 

XXII.  If  a  man  may  venture  to  fuggeft  fo  mean  a 
thought,  as  the  love  of  their  country,  to  fouls  fired  with 
the  love  of  truth,  and  the  love  of  liberty,  and  grafping 
the  whole  extent  of  nature,  I  would  humbly  propofe  it 
to  you,  gentlemen,  to  obferve  the  caution  praftifed  by 
all  other  difcoverers,  projectors,  and  makers  of  experi- 
ments, who  never  hazard  all  on  the  firft  trial.  Would 
It  not  be  prudent  to  try  the  fuccefs  of  your  principles,  on 
a  fmall  model,  in  feme  remote  corner  ?  For  inftance,  kt 


CDiAL.  IL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  103 

up  SI  colony  of  atheifts  in  Monomotapay  and  fee  how  it 
profpers,  before  you  proceed  any  further  at  home  :  Hal£ 
a  dozen  (hipload  of  Minute  Philofophers  might  eafily  be: 
fpared  upon  fo  good  a  defign.  In  the  mean  time,  you, 
gentlemen,  who  have  found  out,  that  there  is  nothing  ta 
be  hoped  or  feared  in  another  life  ;  that  conscience  is  a 
bugbear ;  that  the  bands  of  government,  and  the  cement 
of  human  fociety,  are  rotten  things,  to  be  diffolved,  and 
crumbled  into  nothing,  by  the  argumentation  of  every 
Minute  Pliilofopher ;  be  fo  good  as  to  keep  thefe  fublimc 
difcoveries  to  yourfelves  :  Suffer  us,  our  wives,  our  chil- 
dren, our  fervants,  and  our  neighbors,  to  continue  in  the: 
belief,  and  way  of  thinking,  eftablifhed  by  the  laws  of 
our  country.  In  good  eameft,  I  wifh  you  would  go  try 
your  experiments  among  the  Hottentots  or  Turks. 

Lys. — The  Hottentots  we  think  well  of,  believing  them 
to  be  an  unprejudiced  people  ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  their 
diet  and  cuiloms  would  not  agree  with  our  philofophers. 
As  for  the  Turks,  they  are  bigots,  who  have  a  notion  of 
God,  and  a  refpedl  for  Jefus  Chrift.  I  queftion  whether 
it  might  be  fafe  to  venture  among  them. 

Cri. — Make  your  experiment  then  in  fome  other  part 
of  Chriflendcm. 

Ly  s. — We  hold  all  other  chriftian  nations  to  be  much 
under  the  power  of  prejudice  :  even  our  neighbors,  the 
Dutch,  are  too  much  prejudiced  in  favor  of  their  religion, 
by  law  eftablifhed,  for  a  prudent  man  to  attempt  innova- 
tions under  their  government.  Upon  the  whole,  it  feems 
we  can  execute  our  fchemes  no  where,  with  fo  much  fe- 
curity,  and  fuch  profpecb  of  fuccefs,  as  at  home.  Not 
to  fay,  that  we  have  already  made  a  good  progrefs.  Oh  ! 
that  we  could  but  once  fee  a  parliament  of  true,  ftanch, 
libertine  free-thinkers  ! 

Cri. — God  forbid  !  I  fhould  be  forry  to  have  fuch  men. 
for  my  fervants,  not  to  fay,  for  my  mafters. 

Lys. — In  that  we  differ. 


104  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER    [Dial.  H.] 

1 
XXIII.  But  you  will  agree  with  me,  that  the  right 
way  to  come  at  this  was,  to  begin  with  extirpating  the 
prejudices  of  particular  perfons.  We  have  carried  on 
this  work,  for  many  years,  with  much  art  and  induftry, 
and,  at  firft,  with  fecrecy,  working  like  moles  under 
ground,  concealing  our  progrefs  from  the  public,  and 
our  ultimate  views  from  many,  even  of  bur  own  profe- 
lytes,  blowing  the  coals  between  polemical  divines,  lay- 
ing hold  on,  and  improving  every  incident,  which  the 
paffions  or  folly,  of  churchmen  afforded,  to  the  advantage 
of  our  fe£^.  As  our  principles  obtained,  we  ftill  pro- 
ceeded to  further  inferences  ;  and,  as  our  numbers  mul- 
tiplied, we  gradually  difclofed  ourfelves  and  our  opinions. 
Where  we  are  now,  I  need  not  fay.  We  have  ftubbed, 
and  weeded,  and  cleared  human  nature  to  that  degree, 
that,  in  a  little  time,  leaving  it  alone  without  any  labor- 
ing or  teaching,  you  fhall  fee  natural  and  juft  ideas  fprout 
forth  of  themfelves. 

Cri. — But  I  have  heard  a  man,  who  had  lived  long, 
and  obferved  much,  remark,  that  the  worft  and  moft 
unwholfome  weed,  was  this  fame  Minute  Philofophy. 
We  have  had,  faid  he,  divers  epidemical  diftempers  in 
the  ftate,  but  this  hath  produced,  of  all  others,  the  moft 
deftruftive  plague.  Enthufiafm  had  its  day,  its  efFe£i:s 
were  violent,  and  foon  over  :  this  infers  more  quietly, 
but  fpreads  widely.  The  former  bred  a  fever  in  the  flate  ; 
this  breads  a  confumption,  and  final  decay.  A  rebellion, 
or  an  invafion,  alarms,  and  puts  the  public  upon  its  de- 
fence ;  but  a  corruption  of  principles,  works  its  ruin 
more  flowly  perhaps,  but  more  furely.  This  may  be  il- 
luftrated  by  a  fable,  I  fomewhere  met  with  in  the  writings 
of  a  Swijs  philofopher,  fetting  forth  the  original  of  bran- 
dy and  gunpowder.  The  government  of  the  north  being 
once  upon  a  time  vacant,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air  convened  a  council  in  hell ;  wherein,  upon  competi- 
tion between  two  demons  of  rank^  it  was  determined  they 


piAL.  II.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  105 

(hould  both  make  trial  of  their  abilities,  and  he  fhould 
fucceed,  who  did  mod  mifchief.  One  made  his  appear- 
ance in  the  fhape  of  gunpowder,  the  other  in  that  of  bran- 
dy :  The  former  was  a  declared  enemy,  and  roared  with 
a  terrible  noife,  which  made  folks  afraid,  and  put  them 
on  their  guard  :  the  other  pafled  as  a  friend  and  phylician 
through  the  world,  difguifed  himfelf  with  fweets,  and 
perfumes,  and  drugs,  made  his  way  into  the  ladies'  cabi- 
nets, and  the  apothecaries*  fliops,  and,  under  the  notion 
of  helping  digeflion,  comforting  the  fpirits,  and  cheering 
the  heart,  produced  drre6l  contrary  efre6ls  *,  and,  having 
infenfibly  thrown  great  numbers  of  human  kind  into 
a  fatal  decay,  was  found  to  people  hell  and  the  grave  fo 
faft,  as  to  merit  the  government,  which  he  dill  poflefles. 

XXIV.  Lys.—- Thofe  who  pkafe  may  amufe  them- 
felves  with  fables  and  allegories.  This  is  plain  EngliJ}?-— 
Liberty  is  a  good  thing,  and  we  are  the  fupport  of  liberty. 

Cri. — To  me  it  feems,  that  liberty  and  virtue  were 
made  for  each  other.  If  any  man  wifii  to  enllave  his 
country,  nothing  is  a  fitter  preparative  than  vice ;  and 
nothing  leads  to  vice  fo  furely  as  irreligion.  For  my  part; 
I  cannot  comprehend,  or  find  out,  after  having  confidered 
it  in  all  lights,  how  this  crying  down  religion,  fliould  be 
the  effect  of  honeft  views  towards  a  juft  and  legal  liberty. 
Some  feem  to  propofe  an  indulgence  in  vice  :  others  may 
have  in  profpeci:  the  advantages  which  needy  and  ambi- 
tious men  are  ufed  to  make  in  the  ruin  cf  a  flate  :  One 
may  indulge  a  pert  petulant  fpirit :  Another  hopes  to  be 
efteemed  among  libertines,  when  he  wants  wit  to  pleafe, 
or  abilities  to  be  ufeful.  But,  be  men's  views  what  they 
will,  let  us  examine  what  good  your  principles  have  done  : 
Who  has  been  the  better  for  the  inftru61:ions  of  thefe  Mi- 
nute Philofophers  ?  Let  us  compare  what  wc  are  in  refpe£l 
of  learning,  loyalty,  honefty,  wealth,  power,  and  public 
fpirit,  with  what  we  have  been.      Free-thinking,  (as  it  is 

O 


io6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  II.] 

called)  hath  wonderfully  grown  of  late  years.  Let  us  fee 
what  hath  groMm  up  with  it,  or  wh?t  efFe^ls  it  hath  produ- 
ced. To  make  a  catalogue  of  ills  is  dlfagreeable :  And 
the  only  bleffing  it  can  pretend  to,  is  luxury  :  That  fame 
bleffing,  which  revenged  the  world  upon  old  Rome :  That 
fame  luxury,  whichmakes  a  nation,  like  a  difeafed  pamper- 
ed body,  loqk  full  and  fat,  with  one  foot  in  the  grave. 

Lys. — You  miftake  the  matter.  There  are  no  people 
who  think  and  argue  better  about  the  public  good  of  a 
ftate,  than  our  feci:  ;  who  have  alfo  invented  many  things 
tending  to  that  end,  which  we  cannot,  as  yet,  conveniently 
put  in  practice.  ia  ' 

Cri. — But  one  point  tliere  is,  from  which  it  muft  be 
owned,  the  public  hath  already  received  fome  advantage, 
which  is  the  cffecl  of  your  principles,  flowing  from  them, 
and  fpreading  as  they  do  :  I  mean  that  old  Roman  practice 
of  felf-murder,  which  at  once  puts  an  end  to  all  diftrefs, 
ridding  the  world  and  themfeives  of  the  miferable. 

Lys. — You  were  pleafed  before  to  make  reflexions  on 
this  cuftom,  and  laugh  at  the  irrefolution  of  our  free-think- 
ers ;  but  I  can  aver,  for  matter  of  fa<Sl:,  that  j:hey  have 
often  recommended  it  by  their  example,  as  well  as  argu- 
ments •,  and  that  it  is  folely  owing  to  them,  that  a  prac- 
tice, fo  ufeful  and  magnanimous,  hath  been  taken  out  of 
the  hands  of  lunatics,  and  reilored  to  that  credit  among 
men  of  fenfe,  which  it  anciently  had.  In  whatever  light 
you  may  confider  it,  this  is,  in  facSb,  a  folid  benefit.  But 
the  beft  efFe£l  of  our  principles  is,  that  light  and  truth  fo 
vifibly  fpread  abroad  in  the  world.  From  how  many  pre- 
judices, errors,  perplexities,  and  contradictions,  have  we 
freed  the  minds  of  our  fellow-fubje6ls .''  how  many  hard 
words,  and  intricate  abfard  notions,  had  pofTefTed  the  minds 
of  men,  before  our  Philofophers  appeared  in  the  world  1 
but  now,  even  women  and  children  have  right  and  found 
notions  of  things.      What  fay  you  to  this,  Crito  F 

Cri. — I  fay,  with  refped:  to  thefe  great  advantages  of 


[Dial.  IL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  107 

deftroying  men  and  notions,  that  I  queftion,  whether  tlie 
pubHc  gains  as  much  by  the  latter,  as  it  lofethby  the  for- 
mer. For  my  own  part,  I  had  rather  my  wife  and  children 
all  believed  what  they  had  no  notion  of,  and  daily  pronoun- 
ced words  without  a  meaning,  than  that  any  one  of  them 
fhould  cut  his  throat,  or  leap  out  of  a  window.  Errors 
and  nonfenfe,  as  fuch,  are  of  fmall  concern  in  the  eye  of 
the  public,  which  confidereth  not  the  metaphyfical  truth 
of  notions,  fo  much  as  the  tendency  they  have  to  produce 
good  or  evil.  Truth  itfelf  is  valued  by  the  public,  as  it 
hath  an  influence,  and  is  felt  in  the  courfe  of  life.  You 
may  confute  a  whole  flielf  of  fchoolmen,  and  difcover  ma- 
ny fpeculative  truths,  without  any  great  merit  towards 
your  country.  But,  if  I  am  not  miftaken,  the  Minute 
Philofophers  are  not  the  men  to  whom  we  are  moft  be- 
holden for  difcoveries  of  that  kind.  This,  I  fay,  mufl  be 
allowed  ;  fuppofmg,  what  I  by  no  means  grant,  your  notions 
to  be  true.  For,  to  fay  plainly  what  I  think,  the  tendency 
of  your  opinions  is  fo  bad,  that  no  good  man  can  endure 
them,  and  your  arguments  for  them  fo  weak,  that  no  wife 
man  will  admit  them. 

Lys. — Has  it  r]pt  been  proved  as  clear  as  the  meridian 
fun,  that  the  politer  fort  of  men  lead  much  happier  lives, 
and  fwim  in  plcafures,  fmce  the  fpreading  of  our  princi- 
ples ?  But,  not  to  repeat  or  infill  further  on  what  has 
been  fo  amply  deduced,  I  f^iall  only  add,  that  the  advan- 
tages flowing  from  them,  extend  to  the  tendered  age,  and 
the  fcfter  fex.  Our  principles  deliver  children  from  ter- 
rors by  night,  and  the  ladies  from  fplenetic  hours  by  day. 

Cri. — Inftead  of  thofe  old  fafliioned  things,  prayers 
and  the  bible,  the  grateful  amufements  of  drams,  dice,  and 
billet-doux  have  fucceeded.  The  fair  fex  have  now  no- 
thing to  do  but  drefs  and  paint,  drink  and  game,  adorn  and 
divert  themfelves,  and  enter  into  all  the  fweet  fociety  of 
life.  But  I  thought,  L^iftclesy  the  argument  from  pleafure 
had  been  eshaufted  :  however,  fince  you  have  not  done 


loS  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  II.] 

with  that  point,  let  us  once  more,  by  Eiiphranor's  rule,  caft 
up  the  account  of  pleafure  and  pain,  as  credit  and  debt, 
under  diftinfl  articles.  We  will  fet  down  in  the  life  of 
your  fine  lady,  rich  clothes,  dice,  cordials,  fcandal, 
late  hours,  againft  vapours,  diftalle,  remorfe,  lofles  at  play, 
and  the  terrible  diftrefs  of  ill  fpent  age,  increafing  every 
day  :  fuppofe  no  cruel  accident  of  jealoufy,  no  madnefs 
or  infamy  of  love  ;  yet  at  the  foot  of  the  account,  you  fhall 
find  that  empty,  giddy,  gaudy,  fluttering  thing,  not  half  fo 
happy  as  a  butterfly,  or  a  gralhopper,  on  a  fummer's  day. 
And  for  a  rake,  or  man  of  pleafure,  the  reckoning  will  be 
much  the  fame,  if  you  place  liftlefihefs,  ignorance,  rotten- 
nefs,  loathing,  craving,  quarrelling,  and  fuch  qualities,  or 
accomplifhments,  over-againft  his  little  circle  of  fleeting 
amufements  ;  long  woe  againft  momentary  pleafure  :  And, 
if  it  be  confidered,  that  when  fenfe  and  appetite  go  off, 
though  he  feek  refuge  from  his  confcience  in  the  Minute 
Philofophy,  yet  in  this  you  will  find,  if  you  fift  him  to  the 
bottom,  that  he.  afFecls  much,  believes  little,  knows  no- 
thing. 

Upon  which  Lyficles,  turning  to  me,  obferved,  that  Crito 
might  difpute  againft  fa£l  if  he  pieafed,  but  that  every  one 
mull  fee  the  nation  was  the  merrier  for  their  principles. 
True,  anfwered  Crito ^  we  are  a  merry  nation  indeed  :  young 
men  laugh  at  the  old  ;  children  defpife  their  parents  ;  and 
fubje£l:s  make  a  jefl  of  the  government :  happy  efFefts  of 
the  Minute  Philofophy  ! 

XXV.  Lys.— Infer  what  efle£l;s  you  pleafe,  that  will 
not  make  our  principles  lefs  true. 

Cri. — Their  truth  is  not  what  I  am  now  confidering. 
The  point  at  prefent  is  the  ufefulnefs  of  your  principles  : 
And,  to  decide  this  point,  we  need  only  take  a  fhort 
view  of  them,  fairly  propofed,  and  laid  together  :  that 
there  is  no  God  or  providence  ;  that  man  is  as  the  beafts 
that  perilh  ;  that  his  happinefs,  as  their's,  confifts  in  obey- 


[DiAL.IL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  109 

ing  animal  inftin£ts,  appetites,  and  paflions  ;  that  all  flings 
of  confcience,  and  fenfe  of  guilt,  are  prejudices  and  erro]i;s 
of  education  ;  that  religion  is  a  ftate  trick  ;  that  vice  is 
beneficial  to  the  public  •,  that  the  foul  of  man  is  corporeal, 
and  dillolveth  like  a  flame  or  vapour ;  that  man  is  a  ma- 
chine, actuated  according  to  the  laws  of  motion  ;  that 
confequently  he  is  no  agent  or  fubje£b  of  guilt ;  that  a 
wife  man  will  make  his  own  particular  individual  intereft, 
in  this  prefent  life,  the  rule  and  meafure  of  all  his  adtions  : 
thefe,  and  fuch  opinions,  are,  it  feems,  the  tenets  of  a  Mi- 
nute Phiiofopher,  who  is  himfelf,  according  to  his  own 
principles,  an  organ  played  on  by  fenfible  obje£ls,  a  bail 
bandied  about  by  appetites  and  pafTions :  fo  fubtle  is  he, 
as  to  be  able  to  maintain  all  this  by  artful  reafonings ;  fo 
iharp-fighted  and  penetrating  to  the  very  bottom  of  things, 
as  to  find  out,  that  the  moft  interefted  occult  cunning  is 
the  only  true  wifdom.  To  compleat  his  chara6ter,  this 
curious  piece  of  clock-work,  having  no  principle  of  action 
within  itfelf,  and  denying  that  it  hath,  or  can  have  any 
one  free  thought  or  motion,  fets  up  for  the  patron  of  liber- 
ty, and  earneftly  contends,  for  free-thinking. 

Crito  had  no  fooner  made  an  end,  but  Lyftcles  addrefl- 
ed  himfelf  to  Euphranor  and  me  :  Crito,  faid  he,  has  tak- 
en a  world  of  pains,  but  convinced  me  only  of  one  fingle 
point,  to  wit,  that  I  muil  defpair  of  convincing  him.  Ne- 
ver did  I,  in  the  whole  courfe  of  my  life,  meet  with  a  man 
fo  deeply  immerfed  in  prejudice  ;  let  who  will  pull  him 
out  for  me.  But  I  entertain  better  hopes  of  you.  I  can 
anfwer,  faid  I,  for  myfelf,  that  my  eyes  and  ears  are  al- 
ways open  to  convidlion  :  I  am  attentive  to  all  that  pafles, 
and,  upon  the  whole,  fiiall  form,  whether  right  or  wrong, 
a  very  impartial  judgment.  Crito,  faid  Euphranor,  is  a 
more  enterprifing  man  than  I,  thus  to  rate  and  lecture  a 
phiiofopher.  For  my  part,  I  always  find  it  eafier  to 
learn  than  to  teach.  I  fliall  therefore  beg  your  affiftance 
to  rid  me  of  fome  fcruples  about  the  tendency  of  your 


no  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IL] 

opinions,  which  I  find  myfeif  unable  to  mailer,  though 
ever  fo  willing.  This  done,  though  we  fhould  not  tread 
exadlly  in  the  fame  fteps,  nor  perhaps  go  the  fame  road  *, 
yet  we  fhall  not  run,  in  all  points,  diametrically  oppofite 
one  to  another. 

XXVI.  Tell  me  now,  Lyfides,  you  who  are  a  minute 
obferver  of  things,  whether  a  (hade  be  more  agreeable  at 
morning  of  evening,  or  noon-day. 

Lys  — Doubtlefs  at  noon-day. 

EupH. — And  what  difpofeth  men  to  reft  ^ 

Lys. — Exercife. 

EuPH. — When  do  men  make  the  greateft  fires  ? 

Lys. — In  the  coldeft  weather. 

EuPH. — -And  what  creates  a  love  for  iced  liquors  ? 

Lys. — Exceffive  heat. 

EupH. — What  if  you  raife  a  pendulum  to  a  great  height 
on  one  fide  ^ 

Lys. — It  will,  when  left  to  itfelf,  afcend  fo  much  the 
higher  on  the  other. 

EuPH. — It  fliould  feem,  therefore,  that  darknefs  en- 
fues  from  light,  reft  from  motion,  heat  from  cold,  and, 
in  general,  that  one  extreme  is  the  confequence  of  ano- 
ther. 

Lys. — It  (hould  feem  fo. 

EuPH. — And  doth  not  this  obfervation  hold  in  the  civil, 
as  well  as  the  natural  world  ?  Doth  not  power  produce 
licence,  and  licence  power  }  Do  not  whigs  make  tories, 
andtories  whigs  ?  Bigots  make  atheifts,  and  atheifts  big- 
ots ? 

Lys. — Granting  this  to  be  true. 

EuPH  - — Will  it  not  hence  follow,  that  as  we  abhor 
flavifti  principles,  we  ftiould  avoid  running  into  licentious 
ones'  ?  I  am,  and  always  was,  a  fincere  lover  of  liberty, 
legal  Englijh  liberty  ;  which  I  efteem  a  chief  blefTmg,  or- 
nament, and  comfort  of  life,  and  the  great  prerogative  of 


[Dial.  II.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  in 

an  Englljhman.      But  is  it  not  to  be  feared,  that,   upon 
the  nation's  running  into  a   licentioufnefs,    which  hath 
never  been  endured  in  any  civilized  country,  men,   feel- 
ing the  intolerable   evils   of  one  extreme,   may   naturally 
fall  into  the  other  ?    You  mufl  allow,  the  bulk  of  man- 
kind are  not  philofophers,  like  you  and  Alciphrofi. 
Lys. — This  I  readily  acknowledge. 
EuPH. — I  have  another  fcruple  about  the  tendency  of 
your  opinions.      Suppofe  you  fhould  prevail,  and  deftroy 
the  proteftant  church   and  clergy  ;   how  could  you  come 
.  at  the  popifli  ?   I  am  credibly  informed,    there  are  a  great 
number  of  emilTaries  of  the  church  of  Rome  difguifed,  in 
Englarid  :   Who  can  tell  what  harvefl  a  clergy  fo  numer- 
ous, fo  fubtle,  and  fo  well  furniihed  with  arguments  to 
work  on  vulgar  and  uneducated  minds,   may  be   able  to 
make  in  a  country  defpoiled  of  all  religion,  and  feeling  the 
want  of  it  ^  Who  can  tell  whether  the  fpirit  of  free-think- 
ing, efiding  with  the  oppofition,   and  the  vanity  with  the 
diitindlion,  when  the  whole  nation  are  alike  infidels,  who 
can  tell,  I  fay,   whether,  in  fuch  a  junfture,  the  men  of 
genius  themfelves  may  not  affecl   a  new  di(linc?cion,  and 
be  the  firll:  converts  to  popery  ? 

Lys. — And  fuppofe  they  fhould.  Betv/een  friends  it 
would  be  no  great  matter.  Thefe  are  our  maxinis  ;  In 
the  firft  place,  we  hold  it  would  be  bed  to  have  no  reli- 
gion at  all.  Secondly,  we  hold  that  all  religions  are  indif- 
ferent. If,  therefore,  upon  trial,  we  find  the  country 
cannot  do  without  a  religion,  why  not  popery  as  well  as 
another  ?  I  know  feveral  ingenious  men  of  our  fe£t,  who, 
if  we  had  a  popifh  prince  on  the  throne,  would  turn  pa- 
pifts  to-morrow.  This  is  a  paradox,  but  I  (hall  explain  it. 
A  prince  whom  we  com.piiment  with  our  religion,  to  be 
fure,  mufl  be  grateful. 

EupK.- — I    underftand   you.       But   what  becomes  of 
free-thinking  all  the  while  ? 

Lys. — Oh  !    we  fhould  have  more  than  ever  of  that. 


112  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  II.] 

for  we  fhould  keep  it  all  to  ourfelves.  As  for  the  amufe- 
ment  of  retailing  it,  the  want  of  this  would  be  largely 
compeiifated  by  folid  advantages  of  another  kind. 

EuPH. — It  feems  then,  by  this  account,  the  tendency, 
you  obferved  in  the  nation  towards  fomething  great  and 
new,  proves  a  tendency  towards  popery  and  ilavery. 

Lys. — Miilake  us  not,  good  Eitphranor.  The  thing 
iirft  in  our  intention  is  confummate  liberty  :  But  if  this 
will  not  do,  and  there  muft,  after  all,  be  fuch  things  to- 
lerated as  religion  and  government,  we  are  wifely  willing 
to  make  the  beft  of  both. 

Cri. — This  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  thought  I  have  of- 
ten had,  that  Minute  Philofophers  are  dupes  of  the  jefuits. 
The  two  moft  avowed,  profefled,  bufy  propagators  of  in- 
fidelity, in  all  companies,  and  upon  all  occafions,  that  I 
ever  met  with,  were  both  bigoted  papifts ;  and  being 
both  men  of  confiderable  eftates,  fuffered  confiderably  on 
that  fcore  ;  which  it  is  wonderful  their  thinking  dif- 
ciples  fhould  never  refie£t  on.  Hegemon^  a  moft  diftin- 
guifhed  writer  among  the  Minute  Philofophers,  and  hero 
of  the  fe£b,  I  am  well  affured,  was  once  a  papift,  and  ne- 
ver heard  that  he  profefled  any  other  religion.  I  know 
that  many  of  the  church  of  Rome  abroad,  are  pleafed  with 
the  growth  of  infidelity  among  us,  as  hoping  it  may  make 
way  for  them.  The  emiiTaries  of  Kome  are  known  to 
have  perfonated  feveral  other  fefts,  which,  from  time  to 
time,  have  fprung  up  among  us  ;  and  why  not  this  of  the 
Minute  Philofophers,  of  all  others,  the  beft  calculated  to 
ruin  both  church  and  ftate  ?  I  myfelf  have  known  a  jefuit 
abroad  talk  among  E?igliJI)  gentlemen  like  a  free-thinker. 
I  am  credibly  informed,  that  jefuits,  known  to  be  fuch 
by  the  Minute  Philofophers  at  home,  are  admitted  into 
their  clubs  :  and  I  have  obferved  them  to  approve,  and 
fpeak  better  of  the  jefuits,  than  of  any  other  clergy  what- 
foever.  Thofe  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  fubtle 
fpirit,  the   refined  politics,  and   wonderful   economy  of 


[Dial.  II.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  113 

that  renowned  fociety,  need  only  read  the  account  given 
of  them  by  the  jefuit,  Incbofer^  in  his  book  De  Monar- 
chia  Sol'ipforuin^  and  thofe  who  are,  will  not  be  furprifed 
that  they  fliould  be  able  to  make  dupes  of  our  Minute 
Philofophers.  Dupes,  I  fay,  for  I  can  never  think  they 
fufpe£l:  that  they  are  only  tools  to  ferve  the  ends  of  cun- 
ninger  men  than  themfelves.  They  feem  to  me  drunk 
and  giddy  with  a  falfe  notion  of  liberty,  and  fpurred  on, 
by  this  principle,  to  make  mad  experiments  on  their  coun- 
try, they  agree  only  in  pulling  down  ail  that  flands  in 
their  way ;  without  any  concerted  fcheme,  and  without 
caring,  or  knowing,  what  to  ere£l:  in  its  (lead.  To  hear 
them,  as  I  have  often  done,  defcant  on  the  moral  virtues, 
refolve  them  into  fliame,  then  laugh  at  fhame  as  a  weak- 
nefs,  admire  the  unconfined  lives  of  favages,  defpife  all 
order  and  decency  of  education  ;  one  would  think  the  in- 
tention of  thefe  philofophers  was,  when  they  had  pruned 
and  weeded  the  notions  of  their  fellow-fubje£t3,  and  di- 
vefted  them  of  their  prejudices,  to  ftrip  them  of  their 
clothes,  and  fill  the  country  with  naked  followers  of  na- 
ture, enjoying  all  the  privileges  of  brutality. 

Here  Crito  made  a  paufe,  and  fixed  his  eyes  on  Alci- 
phrofiy  who  during  this  whole  converfation  had  fat  thought- 
ful and  attentive,  without  faying  a  word  j  and  with  an  air, 
one  while  diflatisfied  at  what  Lyjicles  advanced,  another, 
ferene  and  pleafed,  feemingto  approve  feme  better  thought 
of  his  own.  But  the  day  being  now  far  fpent,  Alciphron 
propofed  to  adjourn  the  argument  till  the  following ; 
when,  faid  he,  I  fhall  fet  matters  on  a  new  foundation, 
and  in  fo  full  and  clear  a  light,  as,  I  doubt  not,  will  give 
intire  fatisfadion.  So  we  changed  the  difcourfe,  and,  af- 
ter a  repad  upon  cold  provifions,  took  a  walk  on  the  ftrand, 
and  in  the  cool  of  the  evening  returned  to  Criu''u 

P 


THE 

THIRD    DIALOGUE. 

I.  Alciphron's  Account  of  Honor.  II.  Character  and  CoU' 
duEl  of  Men  of  Honor,  III.  ^enfe  of  moral  Beauty, 
IV.  The  Honefum  or  to\:2Xon  of  the  Ancients.  V.  Tafte 
for  moral  Beauty  whether  a  fure  Guide  or  Rule.  VI. 
Minute  Philofophers  ravifhed  with  the  AhflraB  Beauty  of 
Virtue.      VII.    "Their  Virtue  alone  difmterefed  and  heroic, 

VIII.  Beauty  offenftble  Objects,  luhaty   and  honv  perceived. 

IX.  The  Idea  of  Beauty  explained  by  Painting  and  Archi^ 
teciure.      X.   Beauty  of  the  moral  Sflem,  wherein  it  con" 

fifls.  XI.  It  fuppofeth  a  Providence.  XII.  Influence  of 
to  kalon  and  to  prepon.  XIII.  Enthuftafm  of  Cratylus 
compared  with  the  fentiments  of  iVriilotle.  XIV.  Com^ 
pared  with  the  Stoical  Principles.  XV.  Minute  Philofc-^ 
phers,  their  Talent  for  Railery  and  Ridicule.  XVI.  The 
Wifdom  of  thofe  nvho  make  Virtue  alone  its  own  Reward. 


HE  following  day,  as  we  fat  round  the  tea-table, 
in  a  fummer  parlour,  which  looks-  into  the  garden,  Alciphron, 
after  the  firll  difh,  turned  down  his  cup,  and,  reclining  back 
in  his  chair,  proceeded  as  follows.  Above  all  the  fetls  up- 
on earth,  it  is  the  peculiar  privilege  of  ours,  not  to  be  tied 
down  by  any  principles.  While  other  philofophers  pro- 
fefs  a  fervile  adherence  to  certain  tenets,  ours  aflert  a  no- 
ble freedom,  differing  not  only  one  from  another,  but  very 
often  the  fame  man  from  himfelf.  Which  method  of 
proceeding,  befide  other  advantages,  hath  this  annexed  to 
it,  that  we  are,  of  all  men,  the  hardeft  to  confute.  You 
may,  perhaps,  confute  a  particular  tenet,  but  then  thi* 
affefts  only  him  who  maintains  it,  and  fo  long  only  as  he 
maintains  it.     Some  of  our  feci  dogmatize  more  than 


ii6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.l 

others,  and  in  fome,  more  than  other  points.  The  do£lrine 
of  the  uiefulnefs  of  vice  is  a  point  wherein  we  are  not  all 
agreed.  Some  of  us  are  great  admirers  of  virtue.  With 
others,  the  points  of  vice  and  virtue  are  problem aticah 
For  my  own  part,  though  I  think  the  do£trine  maintained. 
yefterday,by"Z-v/?r/W,  an  ingenious  fpeculation  ;  yet,  upon 
the  whole,  there  are  divers  reafons  wJiich  incline  me  to  de- 
part from  it,  and  rather  to  efpoufe  the  virtuous  fide  of  the 
queftion  ;  with  the  fmalleft,  perhaps,  but  the  moft  contem- 
plative and  laudable  part  of  our  lecl.  It  feemeth,  I  fay, 
after  a  nice  inquiry,  and  balancing  on  both  fides,  that  we 
ought  to  prefer  virtue  to  vice  ;  and  that  fuch  preference 
would  contribute  both  to  the  public  weal,  and  the  reputa- 
tion of  our  philofophers.  You  are  to  know  then,  we  have 
among  us  feveral  that,  without  one  grain  of  religion,  are 
men  of  the  niccd:  honor,  and,  therefore,  men  of  virtue,  be- 
caufe  men  of  honor.  Honor  is  a  noble  unpolluted  fource 
of  virtue,  without  the  leaft  mixture  of  fear,  interefl  or  fu- 
perftition.  Ij:  hath  ail  the  advantages,  whhout  the  evils, 
which  attend  religion.  It  is  the  mark  of  a  great  and  fine 
foul,  and  is  to  be  found  among  perfons  of  rank  and  breed- 
ing. It  affe6ls  the  court,  the  fenate,  and  the  camp,  and, 
in  general,  every  rendezvous  of  people  of  fafhion. 

EuPK.—— You  fay  then,  that  honor  is  the  fource  of  vir- 
tue. 

Alc. — I  do. 

EuPH. — Can  a  thing  be  the  fource  of  itfelf  ? 

Alc— It  cannot. 

EuFH. — The   fource,  therefore,  is  diftinguiihed  from 
that  of  which  it  is  the  fource. 

Alc. — Doubtlefs. 

EuPH  — Honor  then  is  one  thing,  ^ind  virtue  another. 

Alc. — I  grant  it.      Virtuous  a£i:ions  are  tlie  efFe£\,  and 
honor  is  the  fource  or  caufe  of  that  efFe6^. 

EupH. — Teil  me.      Is  honor  the  will,  producing  ^hofe 
aftions,  or  the  final  caufe  for  which  they  are  produced,  cr 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  117 

right  reafon,  which  is  their  rule  and  limit,  or  the  obje£t 
about  which  they  are  converfant  ?  or  do  you  by  the  word 
Honor,  underftand  a  faculty,  or  appetite  r  all  which  are 
fuppofed,  in  one  fenfe  or  other,  to  be  the  fource  of  human 
a(Slions. 

Alc. — Nothing  of  all  this. 

EuPH. — Be  pleafed  then  to  give  me  fome  notion  or 
definition  of  it.  Alc'iphron^  having  mufed  a  while,  anfwer- 
ed,  that  he  defined  honor  to  be  a  principle  of  virtuous  ac- 
tions. To  which  FAiphrancr  replied ;  if  1  underftand  it 
rightly,  the  word  principle  is  varioully  taken.  Sometimes, 
by  principles,  we  mean  the  parts  of  v/hich  a  whole  is  com- 
pofed,  and  into  v.'hich  it  may  be  refolved.  Thus  the  ele- 
ments are  faid  to  be  principles  of  compound  bodies.  And 
thus  words,  fyllabies,  and  'etters  are  the  principles  of 
fpeech.  Sometimes,  by  principle,  we  mean  a  fmall  par- 
ticular feed,  the  growth  or  gradual  unfolding  of  which 
doth  produce  an  organized  body,  animal  or  vegetable,  in 
its  proper  fize  and  fhape.  Principles,  at  other  times,  are 
fuppofcd  to  be  certain  fundamental  theorems  in  arts  and 
fciences,  in  religion  and  politics.  Let  me  know  in  which 
of  thele  fenfes,  or  whether  it  be  in  fome  other  fenfe,  that 
you  underftand  the  word,  when  you  fay,  honor  is  a  princi- 
ple of  virtue.  To  this  Alciphvcn  replied,  that,  for  his  part, 
he  meant  it  in  none  of  thofe  fenfes,  but  defined  honor  to 
be  a  certain  ardor  of  enthufiafm  that  glowed  in  the  breaft 
of  a  gallant  man.  Upon  this,  Euphranor  obferved,  it  was 
always  admitted  to  put  the  definition  in  place  of  the  thing 
defined.      Is  this  allowed,  faid  he,  or  not  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — May  we  not,  therefore,  fay,  that  a  man  of  hon- 
or is  a  warm  man,  or  an  enthufiaft  ?  Alciphron  hearing  this, 
declared,  that  fuch  exadnefs  was  to  no  purpofe,  that  pe- 
dants, indeed,  may  difpute  and  define,  but  could  never  reach 
that  high  fenfe  of  honor,  which  diftinguifhed  the  fine  gen- 
tleman, and  was  a  thing  rather  to  be  felt  than  explained. 


ii8  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER    [Dial.  III.] 

II.  Criio,  perceiving  that  Alciphron  could  not  bear  being 
preffed  any  farther  on  that  article,  and  willing  to  give 
fome  fatisfa^lion  to  Euphramr^  faid.  That  of  himfelf,  in- 
deed, he  fliould  not  undertake  to  explain  fo  nice  a  point ; 
but  he  would  retail  to  them  part  cf  a  convcrfation  he  once 
heard  between  Nicander,  a  Minute  Philofopher,  and  Me- 
nechsy  a  chriftian,  upon  the  fame  fubje<^,  which  was, 
for  fubftance,  as  follows  : 

M.  From  what  principle  are  you,  gentlemen,  virtuous  ? 

N.  From  honor.      We  are  men  of  honor. 

M,  May  not  a  man  of  honor  debauch  another's  wife, 
or  get  drunk,  or  fell  a  vote,  or  refufe  to  pay  his  debts, 
without  lelTening  or  tainting  his  honor  ? 

iV.  He  may  have  the  vices  and  faults  of  a  gentleman  : 
but  is  obliged  to  pay  debts  of  honor,  that  is,  all  fuch  as 
are  contracted  by  play. 

M.  Is  your  man  of  honor  always  ready  to  refent  af- 
fronts, and  engage  in  duels  ? 

N.  He  Is  ready  to  demand  and  give  a  gentleman's  fatis- 
faClion,  upon  all  proper  occafions. 

M.  It  fhould  f':em,  by  this  account,  that  to  ruin  tradef- 
men,  break  faith  to  one's  own  wife,  corrupt  another  man's, 
take  bribes,  cheat  the  public,  cut  a  man's  throat  for  a 
word,  are  all  points  confident  with  your  principles  of 
honor. 

N.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  we  are  men  of  gallantry, 
men  of  fire,  men  who  know  the  world,  and  all  that. 

M.  It  feems,  therefore,  that  honor  among  infidels,  is 
like  honefty  among  pirates :  fomething  confined  to  them- 
felves,  and  which  the  fraternity  may  perhaps  find  their 
account  in,  but  every  one  elfe  fliould  be  on  his  guard 
againft. 

By  this  dialogue,  continued  Critoy  a  man,  who  lives  out 
of  the  grand  moncky  may  be  enabled  to  form  fome  notion 
of  what  the  world  calls  honor,  and  mtn  of  honor. 

EupH. — I  muft  intreat  you  not  to  put  me  off  with  Ni- 
eander's  opinion,  whom,  I  know  nothing  of  ^    but  rather 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  119 

give  me  your  own  judgment,  drawn  from  your  own  ob- 
fervation  upon  men  of  honor. 

Cri. — If  I  muft  pronounce,  I  can  very  fincerely  afiure 
you  that,  by  all  I  have  heard  or  feen,  I  could  never  find, 
that  honor,  confidered  as  a  principle  diftincl  from  con- 
fcience,  religion,  reafon  and  virtue,  was  more  than  an 
empty  name.  And  I  do  verily  believe,  that  thofe  who 
build  upon  that  notion  have  lefs  virtue  than  other  men ; 
and  that  what  they  have,  or  feem  to  have,  is  owing  to 
falhion  (being  of  the  reputable  kind)  if  not  to  a  confcience 
early  imbued  with  religious  principles,  and  afterwards  re- 
taining a  tincture  from  them,  without  knowing  it.  Thefe 
two  principles  feem  to  account  for  all  that  looks  like  vir- 
tue in  thofe  gentlemen.  Your  men  of  fafliion,  in  whom 
animal  life  abounds,  a  fort  of  bullies  in  morality,  who 
difdain  to  have  it  thought  they  are  afraid  of  confcience  ; 
thefe  defcant  much  upon  honor,  and  affedi:  to  be  called 
men  of  honor,  rather  than  confcientious  or  honefl  men. 
But,  by  all  that  I  could  ever  obferve,  this  fpecious  cha- 
ra£ter,  where  there  is  nothing  of  confcience  or  religion 
underneath,  to  give  it  life  and  fubftance,  is  no  better  than 
a  meteor  or  painted  cloud. 

EuPH. — I  had  a  confufed  notion,  that  honor  was  fome- 
thing  nearly  connected  with  truth  :  and  that  men  of  hon- 
or were  the  greatefh  enemies  to  all  hypocrify,  fallacy,  and 
difguife. 

Cri. — So  far  from  that,  an  infidel,  who  fets  up  for  the 
niceft  honor,  (hall,  without  the  leafl  grain  of  faith  or  re- 
ligion, pretend  himfelf  a  chriilian,  take  any  teft,  join  in 
any  a6l  of  worfhip,  kneel,  pray,  receive  the  facrament,  to 
ferve  an  intereft.  The  fame  perfon,  without  any  im- 
peachment of  his  honor,  (hall  mofl  folemnly  declare  and 
promife,  in  the  face  of  God  and  the  world,  that  he  will 
love  his  wife,  and,  forfaking  all  others,  keep  only  to  her, 
when  at  the  fame  time  it  is  certain,  he  intends  never  to 
perform  one  tittle  of  his  vow  ;  and  convinceth  the  v/holc 


120  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

world  of  this,  as  foon  as  he  gets  her  in  his  power,  and  her 
fortuae,  for  the  fake  of  which  this  man  of  untainted  hon- 
or makes  no  fcruple  to  cheat  and  lie. 

EuPH. — We  had  a  notion,  here  in  the  country,  that  it 
was  of  all  things  mofc  odious,  and  a  matter  of  much  rilk 
and  peril,  to  give  the  lie  to  a  man  of  honor. 

Cri. — It  is  very  true.  He  abhors  to  take  the  lie,  but 
not  to  tell  it. 

ill.  Alc'iphron^  having  heard  all  this  with  great  compo- 
fure  of  mind  and  countenance,  fpake  as  follows.  The 
word  free-thinker,  as  it  comprehends  men  of  very  different 
forts  and  fentim^ents,  cannot,  in  a  ftri£i:  fenfe,  be  faid  to 
conitltute  one  particular  fe£l:,  holding  a  certain  fyftem  of 
pofitive  and  diftin(Sl:  opinions.  Though  it  muft  be  own- 
ed,v/e  do  all  agree  in  certain  points  of  unbelief,  or  nega- 
tive principles,  which  agreement,  in  fome  fenfe,  unites  us 
under  the  common  idea  of  one  fe6t.  But  then  thofe  nega- 
tive principles,  as  they  happen  to  take  root  in  men  of  differ- 
ent age,  tem.per,  and  education,  do  produce  various  ten- 
dencies, opinions,  and  chara£l:ers,  widely  differing  one 
from  another.  You  are  not  to  think  that  our  greateft 
ftrength  lies  in  our  greateft  number,  libertines,  and  mere 
men  of  honor.  No,  we  have  among  us  philofophers  of 
a  very  different  character,  men  of  curious  contemplation, 
not  governed  by  fuch  grofs  things  as  fenfe  and  cuftom,  but 
of  an  abftra^led  virtue  and  fublime  morals ;  and  the  lefs 
religious,  the  more  virtuous.  For  virtue  of  the  high  and 
difmterefted  kind,  no  man  is  fo  well  qualified  as  an  infidel, 
it  being  a  mean  and  felfifli  thing  to  be  virtuous  through  fear 
or  hope.  The  notion  of  a  providence,  and  future  ftate  of 
rewards  and  punifliments,  may  indeed  tempt  or  fcare  men 
of  abject  fpirlt  into  praflices  contrary  to  the  natural  bent 
of  their  fouls,  but  will  never  produce  a  true  and  genuine 
virtue.  To  p;o  to  the  bottom  of  things,  to  analyfe  virtue 
into  its  firfi:  principles,  and  fix  a  fcheme  of  morals  on  its 
true  bafis,  you  muft  undcrftand,  that  there  is  an  idea  of 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  121 

beauty  natural  to  the  mind  of  man.  This  all  men  defire, 
this  they  are  pleafed  and  delighted  with,  for  its  own  fake, 
purely  from  an  inilinft  of  nature.  A  man  needs  no  ar- 
guments to  make  him  difcern  and  approve  what  is  beau- 
tiful :  it  ftrikes  at  firft  fight,  and  attracts  without  a  rea- 
fon.  And  as  this  beauty  is  found  in  the  fhape  and  form 
of  corporeal  things ;  fo  alfo  is  there  analogous  to  it,  a 
beauty  of  another  kind,  an  order,  a  fymmetry,  and  come- 
linefs,  in  the  moral  world.  And,  as  the  eye  perceiveth 
the  one,  fo  the  mind  doth,  by  a  certain  interior  fenfe, 
perceive  the  other  ;  which  fenfe,  talent,  or  faculty,  is 
ever  quickefl  and  pureft  in  the  nobleft  minds.  Thus,  as  by 
fight,  I  difcern  the  beauty  of  a  plant,  or  an  animal,  even 
{o  the  mind  apprehends  the  moral  excellence,  the  beauty 
and  decorum  of  juftice  and  temperance.  And,  as  we 
readily  pronounce  a  drefs  becoming,  or  an  attitude  grace- 
ful, we  can,  with  tlie  fame  free  untutored  judgment,  at 
once  declare,  whether  this  or  that  condu6t,  or  adion, 
be  comely  and  beautiful;  To  relifli  this  kind  of  beauty, 
there  muft  be  a  delicate  and  fine  tafte  :  But  where  there 
is  this  natural  tafte,  notliing  further  is  wanting,  either  as 
a  principle  to  convince,  or  as  a  motive  to  induce  men  to 
the  love  of  virtue.  And  more  or  lefs  there  is  of  this  tafte 
or  fenfe,  in  every  creature  that  hath  reafon.  All  ration- 
al beings  are  by  nature  focial.  They  are  drawn  one  to- 
wards another,  by  natural  affections.  They  unite  arid  in- 
corporate into  families,  clubs,  parties,  and  common- 
wealths, by  mutual  fympathy.  As  by  means  of  the  fen- 
fitive  foul,  our  feveral  diftincl  parts  and  members  do  con- 
fent  towards  the  animal  functions,  and  are  connected  in 
one  whole ;  even  fo,  the  feveral  parts  of  thefe  rational 
fyftems,  or  bodies  politic,  by  virtue  of  this  moral  or  in- 
terior fenfe,  are  held  together,  have  a  fellow-feeling,  do 
fuccour  and  protect  each  other,  and  jointly  cooperate  to- 
wards the  fame  end.  Hence  that  joy  in  fociety,  that  pro- 
penfion  towards  doing  good  to  our  kind,  that  gratulation 


122  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

and  delight  in  beholding  the  virtuous  deeds  of  other  men, 
or  in  reflefting  on  our  own.  By  contemplation  of  the 
fitnefs  and  order  of  the  parts  of  a  moral  fyftem,  regular- 
ly operating,  and  knit  together  by  benevolent  affeftions, 
the  mind  of  man  attainetli  to  the  higheft  notion  of  beau- 
ty, excellence,  and  perfeftion.  Seized  and  v^rrapt  with 
this  fublime  idea,  our  philofophers  do  infinitely  defpife 
and  pity  whoever  fhali  propofe  or  accept  any  other  mo- 
tive to  virtue.  Intereft  is  a  mean  ungenerous  thing,  def- 
troying  the  merit  of  virtue  :  and  falfhood,  of  every  kind, 
is  inconfiftent  with  the  genuine  fpirit  of  philofophy. 

Cri.-— The  love,  therefore,  that  you  bear  to  moral 
beauty,  and  your  paflion  for  abilra£l:ed  truth,  will  notfuf- 
fer  you  to  think  with  patience  of  thofe  fraudulent  impofi- 
tions  upon  mankind.  Providence,  the  immortality  of  the 
foul,  and  a  future  retribution  of  rewards  and  punifli- 
ments  ;  which,  under  the  notion  of  promoting,  do,  it 
feems,  deftroy  all  true  virtue,  and,  at  the  fame  time,  con- 
tradldl  and  difparage  your  noble  theories,  manifeftly 
tending  to  the  perturbation  and  difquiet  of  men's  m.inds, 
and  filling  them  with  fruitkfs  hopes,   and  vain  terrors. 

Alc. — Men's  firft  thoughts,  and  natural  notions,  are 
the  bcft  in  moral  matters.  x\nd  there  is  no  need  that 
mankind  (hould  be  preached,  or  reafoned,  or  frightened 
into  virtue,  a  thing  fo  natural  and  congenial  to  every  hu- 
man foul.  Now  if  this  be  the  cafe,  as  it  certainly  is,  it 
follows,  that  all  the  ends  of  fociety  are  fecured  without 
religion,  and  that  an  infidel  bids  fair  to  be  the  moil  vir- 
tuous man,  in  a  true,  fublime,  and  heroic  fenfe. 

IV.  EuPH.— O  Aldphron  !  while  you  talk,  I  feel  an 
afFe^lion  iil  my  foul,  like  the  trembling  of  one  lute  upon 
ftriking  the  unifon  firings  of  another.  Doubtlefs,  there  is 
a  beauty  of  the  mind,  a  charm  in  virtue,  a  fymmetry  and 
proportion  in  the  moral  world.  This  moral  beauty  was 
known  to  the  ancients  by  the  name  of  honejlumy  or  to  ha- 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  123 

Ion.  And,  in  order  to  know  its  force  and  influence,  it  may 
not  be  amifs  to  inquire,  what  it  was  underflood  to  be, 
and  what  light  it  was  placed  in,  by  thofe  who  firft  con- 
fidered  it,  and  gave  it  a  name.  To  kalon,  according  to 
Arijlotky  is  the  epoineton^  or  laudable  :  according  to  Plato^ 
it  is  the  edu^  or  ophetimoriy  pleafant,  or  profitable,  which 
is  meant  with  refpe£^  to  a  reafonable  mind,  and  its  true 
intereft.  Now  I  would  fain  know,  whether  a  mind, 
which  confiders  an  action  as  laudable,  be  not  carried  be- 
yond the  bare  aftion  itfelf,  to  regard  the  opinion  of 
othera  concerning  it  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EupH.— And  whether  this  be  a  fufficient  ground  or 
principle  of  virtue,  for  a  man  to  a61:  upon,  when  he 
thinks  himfelf  removed  from  the  eye  and  obfervation  of 
every  other  intelligent  being  ? 

Alc. — It  feems  not.  "^• 

EuPH. — Again,  I  afk  whether  a  man,  who  doth  a 
thing  pleafant  or  profitable  as  fuch,  muft  not  be  fuppo- 
fed  to  forbear  doing  it,  or  even  to  do  the  contrary,  upon 
the  profpe£t  of  greater  pleafure  or  profit? 

Alc. — He  muft. 

EuPH.-— Doth  it  not  follow  from  hence,  that  the  beau- 
ty of  virtue,  or  to  kaloriy  in  either  Arijlotle^  or  Plato's 
fenfe,  is  not  a  fufficient  principle,  or  ground,  to  engage 
fenfual  and  v/orldiy-minded  men  in  the  practice  of  it  } 

Alc. — What  then  ? 

EuPH.— Why,  then  it  will  follow,  that  hope  of  re- 
ward, and  fear  of  punifhment,  are  highly  expedient  to 
caft  the  balance  of  pleafant  and  profitable  on  the  fide  of 
virtue,  and  thereby  very  much  conduce  to  the  benefit  of 
human  fociety.  Alciphron^  upon  this,  appealed  :  Gen- 
tlemen, faid  he,  you  are  witnefles  of  this  unfair  proceed- 
ing of  Euphranovy  who  argues  againft  us,  from  explica- 
tions given  by  Plato  and  Arijlotky  of  the  beauty  of  virtue, 
which  are  things  we  have  nothing  to  fay  to  5  the  philo- 


1^4  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

iophers  of  our  fcS:  abftrafting  from  all  pralfe,  pleafure, 
and  intereft,  when  they  are  enamoured  and  tranfport- 
ed  with  that  fublime  idea.  I  beg  pardon,  replied  Eu- 
phramry  for  fuppofmg  the  Minute  Philofophers,  of  our 
days,  think  like  thofe  ancient  fages.  But  you  mull  tell 
me,  Alciphvofiy  fmce  you  do  not  think  fit  to  adopt  the 
fenfe  of  Flato  or  Arijiotle^  what  fenfe  is  it  in  which  you 
underftand  the  beauty  of  virtue  ?  Define  it,  explain  it, 
make  me  to  underftand  your  meaning,  that  fo  we  may 
argue  about  the  fame  thing,  without  which  we  can  never 
com.e  to  a  conclufion, 

V.  Alc— Some  things  are  better  underftood  by  de- 
finitions and  defcriptions  ;  but  I  have  always  obferved, 
that  thofe,  who  would  define,  explain,  and  difpute  about 
this  point,  make  the  leaft  of  it.  Moral  beauty  is  of  fo 
peculiar  and  abftra61:ed  a  nature,  fomething  fo  fubtile, 
fine,  and  fugacious,  that  it  will  not  bear  being  handled 
and  infpe£l:ed,  like  every  grofs  and  common  fubjeft.  You 
will,  therefore,  pardon  me,  if  I  ftand  upon  my  pbilofoj)hic 
liberty  ;  and  choofe  rather  to  intrench  myfelf,  within  the 
gerleral  and  indefinite  fenfe,  rather  than,  by  entering  into 
a  precife  and  particular  explication  of  this  beauty,  per- 
chance lofe  fight  of  it ;  or  give  you  fome  hold  whereon  to 
cavil,  and  infer,  and  raife  doubts,  queries,  and  difficulties, 
about  a  point  as  clear  as  the  fun,  when  nobody  reafons 
upon  it. 

EuPH. — How  fay  you,  Ahiphrony  is  that  notion  clear- 
efl:  when  it  is  not  confidered  ? 

Alc. — I  fay,  it  is  rather  to  be  felt  than  underftood,  a 
£trti\nje?iefcaiqiwu  An  object,  not  of  the  difcurfive 
faculty,  but  of  a  peculiar  fenfe,  which  is  properly  called 
the  moral  fenfe,  being  adapted  to  the  perception  of  moral 
beauty,   as  the  eye  to  colours,  or  the  ear  to  founds. 

EuPH. — ^That  men  have  certain  inftiinftivc  fenfations, 
or  paffions,  from  nature,  which  make  them  amiable  and 


[Dial.  HI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  12^ 

ufeful  to  each  other,  I  am  clearly  convinced.  Such  are 
fellow-feeling  with  the  diftreffed,  a  tendernefs  for  our 
offspring,  an  affection  towards  our  friends,  our  neighbors, 
and  our  country,  an  indignation  againft  things  bafe,  cru- 
el, or  unjuft.  Thefe  paffions  are  implanted  in  the  human 
foul,  with  feveral  other  fears  and  appetites,  averfions  and 
defires,  fome  of  which  are  flrongeft  and  uppermoft  in  one 
mind,  others  in  another.  Should  it  not,  therefore,  feem  a 
very  uncertain  guide  in  morals,  for  a  man  to  follow  his 
paffion  or  invi^rd  feeling  ?  And  would  not  this  rule  infal- 
libly lead  different  men  different  ways,  according  to  the 
prevalency  of  this  or  that  appetite,  or  palTion  ? 

Alc. — I  do  not  deny  it. 

EupH. — And  will  it  not  follow  from  hence,  that  duty 
and  virtue  are  in  a  fairer  way  of  being  pra6:ifed,  if  men 
are  led  by  reafon  and  judgment ;  balancing  low  and  fen- 
fual  pleafures  with  thofe  of  a  higher  kind,  comparing  pre- 
fent  loffes  with  future  gains,  and  the  uneafinefs  and  dif- 
gufl  of  every  vice,  with  the  delightful  practice  of  the 
oppofite  virtue,  and  the  pieafing  reflexions  and  hopes 
which  attend  it  ?  Or,  can  there  be  a  ftronger  motive  to 
virtue,  than  the  (hewing  that,  confidered  in  ail  lights,  it 
is  every  man's  true  intereft  ? 

VI.  Alc. — I  tell  you,  Euphrancr^  we  contemn  the  vir- 
tue of  that  man,  who  computes  and  deliberates,  and  muft 
have  a  reafon  for  being  virtuous.  The  refined  moralifls  of 
our  fe£l  are  ravifhed  and  tranfported  with  the  abftradl 
beauty  of  virtue.  They  difdain  all  forenfical  motives  to 
it ;  and  love  virtue  only  for  virtue's  fake.  Oh  rapture  ! 
Oh  enthufiafm!  Oh  the  quinteffence  of  beauty  !  Methinks 
I  could  dwell  for  ever  on  this  contemplation.  But  rather 
than  entertain  myfelf,  I  muft  endeavor  to  convince  you. 
Make  an  experiment  on  the  firfl  man  you  meet.  Propofe 
a  villainous  or  unjufl  action.  Take  his  firft  fenfe  of  the 
matter,  and  you  fhall  find  he  detefts  it.     He  may  indeed 


126  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

be  afterwards  mifled  by  arguments,  or  overpowered  by 
temptation ;  but  his  original,  unpremeditated,  and  genu- 
ine thoughts,  are  juft  and  orthodox.  How  can  we  account 
for  this,  but  by  a  moral  fenfe,  which,  left  to  itfelf,  hath  as 
quick  and  true  a  perception  of  the  beauty  and  deformity  of 
human  a6lions,  as  the  eye  hath  of  colors. 

EuPH. — May  not  this  be  fufficiently  accounted  for,  by 
confcience,  affection,  paffion,  education,  reafon,  cuftom, 
religion,  which  principles  and  habits,  for  aught  I  know, 
may  be  what  you  metaphorically  call  a  moral  fenfe  I 

Alc. — What  I  call  a  moral  fenfe,  is  ftri^lly,  properly, 
and  truly  fuch,  and,  in  kind,  different  from  all  thofe  things 
you  enumerate.  It  is  what  all  men  have,  though  all  may 
not  obferve  it.  Upon  this,  Euphranor  fmiled,  and  faid, 
Alciphron  has  tnade  difcoveries  where  I  leaft  expe£led  it. 
For,  faid  he,  in  regard  to  every  other  point,  I  ftiould  hope 
to  learn  from  him  5  but  for  the  knowledge  of  myfelf,  or 
the  faculties  and  powers  of  my  own  mind,  I  fliould  have 
looked  at  home.  And  there  I  might  have  looked  long 
enough,  without  finding  this  new  talent,  which  even  now, 
after  being  tutored,  I  cannot  comprehend.  For  Alciphron^ 
I  mud  needs  fay,  is  too  fublime  and  enigmatical  upon  a 
point,  which,  of  all  others,  ought  to  be  moft  clearly  under- 
flood.  I  have  often  heard  that  your  deepefl  adepts  and 
oldefl  profeflbrs  in  fcience  are  the  obfcureft.  Lyftcles  is 
young,  and  fpeaks  plain.  Would  he  but  favor  us  with  his 
fenfe  of  this  point,  it  might,  perhaps,  prove  more  upon  a 
level  with  my  apprehenfion. 

VII.  Lyftcles  {hook  his  head,  and  in  a  grave  and  earned 
manner  addrefled  the  company.  Gentlemen,  faid  he, 
Alciphron  Hands  upon  his  own  legs.  I  have  no  part  in 
thefe  refined  notions  he  is  at  prefent  engaged  to  defend. 
If  I  muft  fubdue  my  paffions,  abftra61:,  contemplate,  be  en- 
amoured of  virtue  ;  in  a  word,  if  I  muft  be  an  enthufiaft, 
I  owe  fo  much  deference  to  the  laws  of  my  country,   as 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  127 

to  choofe  being  an  enthufiaft  in  their  way.  Befidesj  it  is 
better  being  fo  for  feme  end,  than  for  none.  This  doc- 
trine hath  all  the  folid  inconveniencies,  without  the  amu- 
fing  hopes  and  profpeiSls  of  the  chriftian. 

Alc. — I  never  counted  on  Lyjides  for  my  fecond  in 
this  point ;  which,  after  all,  doth  not  need  his  affiftance  or 
explication.  All  fubje^ls  ought  not  to  be  treated  in  the 
fame  manner.  The  way  of  definition  and  divifion  is  dry 
and  pedantic.  Befides,  the  fubjeiSJ:  is  fometimes  too  ob- 
fcure,  fometimes  too  fimple,  for  this  method.  One  while  we 
know  too  little  of  a  point,  another  too  much,  to  make  it 
plainer  by  difcourfe. 

Cri. — To  hear  Alciphron  talk,  puts  me  in  mind  of  that 
ingenious  Greeks  who  having  wrapt  a  man's  brother  up  in 
a  cloak,  alked  him  whether  he  knew  that  perfon  ?  being 
ready,  either  by  keeping  on,  or  pulling  off  the  cloak,  to 
confute  his  anfwer,  whatever  it  fhould  be.  For  my  part, 
I  believe,  if  matters  were  fairly  ftated,  that  ration'al  fatif- 
fa£lion,  that  peace  of  mind,  that  inward  comfort,  and  con- 
fcientious  joy,  which  a  good  chriftian  finds  in  good  aftions, 
would  not  be  found  to  fall  fhort  of  all  the  ecftafy,  rapture, 
and  enthufiafin  fuppofed  to  be  the  effedl  of  that  high  and 
undefciibed  principle.  In  earneft,  can  any  ecftafy  be 
higher,  any  rapture  more  affecting,  than  that  which  fprings 
from  the  love  of  God  and  man,  from  a  confcience  void  of 
offence,  and  an  inward  difcharge  of  duty,  with  the  fe- 
cret  delight,  truft,  and  hope  tliat  attend  it  ? 

Alc. — O  Euphra?iory  we  votaries  of  truth  do  not  envy, 
but  pity,  the  groundlefs  joys  and  miftaken  hopes  of  a 
chriftian.  And,  as  for  confcience  and  rational  pleafure, 
how  can  we  allow  a  confcience,  without  allowing  a  vindic- 
tive Providence  ?  or  how  can  we  fuppofe,  the  charm  of 
virtue  confifts  in  any  pleafure,  or  benefit  attending  virtuous 
adlions,*  without  giving  great  advantages  to  the  chriftian 

*  There  can  never  be  lefs  felf-enjoyment  than  in  thefe  fuppofed  wife 
charaAers,  thefe  fclfifh  computers  of  happinefs  and  private  good.  Charac- 
ter iftics,  Vol.  3.  p.  3ai. 


t28  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  Ill] 

religion,  which,  it  feems,  excites  its  believers  to  virtue  by 
the  higheft  interefts  and  pleafures  iij  reverfion.  Alas ! 
fhould  we  grant  this,  there  would  be  a  door  opened  to  all 
thofe  rufty  declaimers  upon  the  neceffity  and  ufefulnefs  of 
the  great  points  of  faith,  the  immortality  of  the  foul,  a  fu- 
ture ftate,  rewards  and  punifhments,  and  the  like  exploded 
conceits  ;  which,  according  to  our  fyftem  and  principles, 
may  perhaps  produce  a  low,  popular,  interefted  kind  of 
virtue,  but  muft  abfoluteiy  deftroy  and  extinguifti  it  in  the 
fubiimc  and  heroic  fenfe. 

VIII.  EuPH. — What  you  now  fay  is  very  intelligible  : 
I  wifti  I  underftood  your  main  principle  as  well. 

Alc— And  are  you  then  in  earneft  at  a  lofs  ?  Is  it  pof- 
fible  you  fhould  have  no  notion  of  beauty,  or  that,  having 
it,  you  fhould  not  know  it  to  be  amiable,  amiable  I  fay,  in 
itfelf,  and  for  itfelf  ? 

EuPH. — Pray  tell  me,  Alciphrony  are  all  mankind  agreed 
in  the  notion  of  a  beauteous  face  ? 

Alc— Beauty  in  human  kind  feems  to  be  of  a  more 
mixt  and  various  nature  :  forafmuch  as  the  paffions,  fenti- 
ments,  and  qualities  of  the  foul  being  feen  through  and 
blending  with  the  features,  work  differently  on  differ- 
ent minds,  as  the  fympathy  is  more  or  lefs.  But,  with 
regard  to  other  things,  is  there  no  fteady  principle  of  beau- 
ty ?  Is  there  upon  earth,  a  human  mind,  without  the  idea 
of  order,  harmony,  and  proportion  ? 

EupH. — "O  Alciphro7iy  it  is  my  weaknefs,  that  I  am  apt 
to  be  loft  in  abftraftions  and  generalities,  but  a  particular 
thing  is  better  fuited  to  my  faculties.  I  find  it  eafy  to 
confider  and  keep  in  view  the  objects  of  fenfe ;  let  us 
therefore  try  to  difcover  what  their  beauty  is,  or  wherein 
it  confifts  ;  and  fo^  by  the  help  of  thefe  fenfible  things,  as  a 
fcale  or  ladder,  afcend  to  moral  and  intelle£l:ual  beauty. 
Be  pleafed  then  to  inform  me,  what  it  is  we  call  beauty  in 
the  objedls  of  i^niQ  ? 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  129 

Alc. — Every  one  knows  beauty  is  that  which  pleafes. 

EupR. — There  is  then  beauty  in  the  fmell  of  a  rofe, 
or  the  tafte  of  an  apple. 

Alc. — By  no  means.  Beauty  is,  to  fpeak  properly, 
perceived  only  by  the  eye. 

EupH. — It  cannot,  therefore,  be  defined,  in  general, 
that  which  pleafeth. 

Alc. — I  grant  it  cannot. 

EuPH. — How  then  fhall  wc  limit  or  define  it  .•*  Aid- 
phron,  after  a  fhort  paufe,  faid,  that  beauty  confifled  in. 
a  certain  fymmetry,  or  proportion,  pleafing  to  the  eye. 

EuPH. — Is  this  proportion  one  and  the  fame  in  all 
things,  or  is  it  different  in  different  kinds  of  things  ? 

Alc. — Different,  doubtlefs.  The  proportions  of  an 
ox  would  not  be  beautiful  in  an  horfe.  And  we  obferve, 
alfo  in  things  inanimate,  that  the  beauty  of  a  table,  a 
chair,  a  door,  confills  in  different  proportions. 

EuPH. —  Doth  not  this  proportion  imply  the  relation  of 
one  thing  to  another  ? 

Alc — It  doth. 

EupH. — And  are  not  thefe  relations  founded  in  fize 
and  fhape  .'* 

Alc — They  are. 

EuPH. — And,  to  make  the  proportions  jufl,  muft  not 
thefe  mutual  relations  of  fize  and  fhape,  in  the  parts,  be 
fuch,  as  fhall  make  the  whole  complete  and  perfect  in  its 
kind  ? 

Alc — I  grant  they  muft. 

EupH. — Is  not  a  thing  faid  to  be  perfe£t  in  its  kind, 
when  it  anfwers  the  end  for  which  it  was  made  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EaPH. — ^Thc  parts,  therefore.  In  true  proportions, 
mufl  be  fo  related,  and  adjufled  to  one  another,  as  that 
they  may  befl  confpire  to  the  ufe  and  operation  of  the 
whole, 

Alc — It  feems  fo. 

R 


130  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

EuPH. — But  the  comparing  parts  one  with  another,  the 
confidering  them  as  belonging  to  one  whole,  and  the  re- 
fering  this  whole  to  its  ufe  and  end,  fhould  feem  the 
v/ork  of  reafon  :  fhould  it  not  ? 

Alc  — It  fliould. 

EuPH. — Proportions,  therefore,  are  not,  ftri6i:ly  fpeak- 
ing,  perceived  by  the  fenfe  of  fight,  but  only  by  reafon, 
through  the  medium  of  fight. 

Alc. — This  I  grant. 

EuPH. — Confequently  beauty,  in  your  fenfe  of  it,  is 
an  objecl:,   not  of  the  eye,  but  of  the  mind. 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — The  eye,  therefore,  alone,  cannot  fee  that  a 
chair  is  handfome,   or  a  door  well  proportioned. 

Alc. — It  feems  to  follow  ;  but  I  am  not  clear  as  to 
this  point. 

EuPH. — Let  us  fee,  if  there  be  any  difficulty  in  it. — 
Could  the  chair  you  fit  on,  think  you,  be  reckoned  well 
proportioned,  or  handfome,  if  it  had  not  fuch  a  height, 
breadth,  widenefs,  and  was  not  fo  far  reclined,  as  to  af- 
ford a  convenient  f^^at .? 

Alc. — It  could  not. 

EuPH. — The  beauty,  therefore,  or  fymmetry  of  a 
chair,  cannot  be  apprehended,  but  by  knowing  its  ufe,  and 
comparing  its  figure  with  that  ufe,  which  cannot  be  done 
by  the  eye  alone,  but  is  the  effed:  of  judgment.  It  is, 
therefore,  one  thing  to  fee  an  objc61:,  and  another  to 
difcern  its  beauty. 

Alc — I  admit  this  to  be  true. 

IX.  EuPH. — The  archite£ls  judge  a  door  to  be  of  a 
beautiful  proportion,  when  its  height  is  double  of  the 
breadth.  But  if  you  fhould  invert  a  well  proportioned 
door,  making  its  breadth  become  the  height,  and  its  height 
the  breadth,  the  figure  would  ftill  be  the  fame,  but  with- 
out that  beauty  in  one  fituation,  which  it  had  in  another. 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  131 

What  can  be  the  csufe  of  this,  but  that  in  the  foremention- 
ed  fuppofition,  the  door  would  not  yield  a  convenient  en- 
trance to  creatures  of  a  human  figure  ?  But,  if  in  any- 
other  part  of  the  univerfe,  there  fhould  be  fuppofed  ra- 
tional animals  of  an  inverted  ftature,  they  muft  be  fuppo- 
fed to  invert  the  rule  for  proportion  of  doors  :  and  to 
them  that  v/ould  appear  beautiful,  v/hich,  to  us,  was 
difagreeable. 

Alc. — Againfi:  this^  I  have  no  objection. 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alclphron^  is  there  not  fomething 
truly  decent  and  beautiful  in  drefs  ? 

Alc. — Doubtlefs,  there  is. 

EuPH. — Are  any  likelier  to  give  us  an  idea  of  this 
beauty  in  drefs,  than  painters  and  fculptors,  whofe  pro- 
per bufinefs  and  ftudy  it  is,  to  aim  at  graceful  reprefcnt- 
ations  ? 

Alc. — I  believe  not. 

EuPH. — Let  us  then  examine  the  draperies  of  the 
great  mafters  in  thefe  arts  :  How,  for  inftance,  they  ufe 
to  clothe  a  matron,  or  a  man  of  rank.  Call  an  eye  on 
thofe  figures  (faid  he,  pointing  to  fome  prints  after  Ra- 
phael and  Guidoy  that  hung  upon  the  wall)  what  appear- 
ance, do  you  think,  an  Englifi  courtier,  or  magiftrate, 
with  his  Gothicy  fuccinct,  plaited  garment,  and  his  full- 
bottomed  wig  ;  or  one  of  our  ladies  in  her  unnatural  drefs, 
pinched,  and  ftiffened,  and  enlarged  with  hoops,  and 
whale-bone,  and  buckram,  muft  make  ;  among  thofe  fi- 
gures fo  decently  clad  in  draperies,  that  fall  into  fuch  a 
variety  of  natural,  eafy,  and  ample  folds  ;  that  cover  the 
body  without  incumbering  it,  and  adorn  without  altering 
the  fhape  ? 

Alc. — Truly,  I  think  they  muft  make  a  very  ridicu- 
lous appearance. 

EuPH. — And  what  do  you  think  this  proceeds  from  ? 
Whence  is  it,  that  the  eaftern  nations,  the  Greeks  and  the 
RofnanSi  naturally  run  into  the  moft  becoming  drefles  j 


132     ,       MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

while  our  Gothic  gentry,  after  fo  many  centuries  racking 
their  inventions,  mending,  and  altering,  and  improving, 
and  whirling  about  in  perpetual  rotation  of  faftiions,  have 
never  yet  had  the  luck  to  liumble  on  any  that  was  not  ab- 
furd  and  ridiculous  ?  Is  it  not  from  hence,  that  inftead 
of  confulting  ufe,  reafon,  and  convenience,  they  abandon 
themfelves  to  fancy,  the  unnatural  parent  of  monfters  ? 
Whereas  the  ancients,  confidering  the  ufe  and  end  of 
drefs,  made  it  fubfervient  to  the  freedom,  eafe,  and  conve- 
nience of  the  body,  and,  having  no  notion  of  mending  or 
changing  the  natural  fliape,  they  aimed  only  at  Ihewing 
it  with  decency  and  advantage.  And,  if  this  be  fo,  are 
we  not  to  conclude,  that  the  beauty  of  drefs  depends  on 
its  fubferviency  to  certain  ends  and  ufes  ? 

Alc. — -This  appears  to  be  true. 

EuPH. — This  fubordinate,  relative  nature  of  beauty, 
perhaps  will  be  yet  plainer,  if  we  examine  the  refpeflive 
beauties  of  a  horfe  and  a  pillar.  Firgil's  defcription  of 
the  former  is, 

— I//i  ardua  cervix, 


Argutumque  caput y   brevis  alvus^  ohefaque  terga, 
Luxuriatqite  torts  animofum  pectus. 

Now  I  would  fain  know,  whether  the  perfections  and 
ufes  of  a  horfe  may  not  be  reduced  to  thefe  three  points, 
courage,  ftrength,  and  fpeed  ?  and  whether  each  of  the 
beauties  enumerated,  doth  not  occafion,  or  betoken,  one 
of  thefe  perfeftions  ?  After  the  fame  manner,  if  we  in- 
quire into  the  parts  and  proportions  of  a  beautiful  pillar, 
we  fliall  perhaps  find  them  anfwer  to  this  fame  idea.  Thofe 
who  have  confidered  the  theory  of  architecture,  tell  us.  * 
the  proportions  of  the  three  Grecian  Orders  were  taken 
from  the  human  body,    as  the  mod  beautiful  and  perfe^ 

*  See  the  learned  patriarch  of  Aquilcia's  Commer.tary  on  Vitruvius.  I. 
4.  c.i. 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  133 

produ£i;ion  of  nature.  Hence  were  derived  thofe  grace- 
ful ideas  of  columns,  which  had  a  chara£ter  of  ftrength 
without  clumfinefs,  or  of  delicacy  without  weaknefs. — 
Thofe  beautiful  proportions  were,  I  fay,  taken  originally 
from  nature,  which,  in  her  creatures,  as  hath  been  already 
obferved,  referreth  them  to  fome  end,  ufe,  or  defign.  The 
Gonjiezza  alfo,  or  fwelling,  and  the  diminution  of  a  pillar, 
is  it  not  in  fuch  proportion,  as  to  make  it  appear  ftrong 
and  light  at  the  fame  time  ?  In  the  fame  manner,  mud 
not  the  whole  entablature,  with  its  projections,  be  fo  pro- 
portioned, as  to  feem  great,  but  not  heavy,  hght,  but  not 
little  :  inafmuch  as  a  deviation  into  either  extreme  would 
thwart  that  reafon  and  ufe  qf  things,  wherein  their  beauty 
is  founded,  and  to  which  it  is  fubordinate  ?  The  entabla- 
ture, and  all  its  parts  and  ornaments,  architrave,  freeze, 
cornice,  triglyphs,  metopes,  modiglions,  and  the  lefl,  have 
each  an  ufe,  or  appearance  of  ufe,  in  giviag  firmnefs  and 
union  to  the  building,  in  protecting  it  from  the  weather, 
and  calling  off  the  rain,  in  rcprefenting  the  ends  of  beams 
with  their  intervals,  the  production  of  rafters,  and  fo  forth. 
And,  if  we  confider  the  graceful  angels  in  frontispieces, 
the  fpaces  between  the  columns,  or  the  ornaments  of  their 
capitals  ;  (hnll  we  not  find,  that  their  beauty  rifeth  from 
the  appearance  of  ufe,  or  the  imitation  of  natural  things, 
whofe  beauty  is  originally  bounded  on  the  fame  principle  ? 
which  is,  indeed,  the  grand  diftinCtion  between  Grecian 
and  Gothic  architecture;  the  latter  being  fantaftical,  and, 
for  the  molt  part,  founded  neither  in  nature,  nor  in  rea- 
fon, in  neceflity  nor  ufe,  the  appearance  of  which,  ac- 
counts for  all  the  beauty,  grace  and  ornament,  of  the 
other. 

'  Cri. — What  Euphranor  hath  faid,  confirms  the  opinion, 
I  always  entertained,  that  the  rules  of  architecture  were 
founded,  (as  all  other  arts  which  fiourifhed  among  the 
Greeks)  in  truth,  and  nature,  and  good  fenfe.  But  the 
ancients,    who,   from   a   thorough   confideration   of   th« 


134  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

grounds  and  principles  of  art,  formed  their  idea  of  beauty, 
did  not  always  confine  themfelves  ftriftly  to  the  fame  rules 
and  proportions  :  But,  whenever  the  particular  diftance, 
pofition,  elevation,  or  dimenfion  of  the  fabric,  or  its  parts, 
feemed  to  require  it,  made  no  fcruple  to  depart  from  them, 
without  deferting  the  original  principles  of  beauty,  which 
governed  whatever  deviations  they  made.  This  latitude, 
or  licence,  might  not,  perhaps,  be  fafely  trufted  with  moft 
modern  architects,  who,  in  their  bold  fallies,  feem  to  a6t 
without  aim  or  defign  ;  and  to  be  governed  by  no  idea, 
no  reafon,  or  prrnciple  of  art,  but  pure  caprice,  joined  with 
a  thorough  contempt  of  that,  noble  fimplicity  of  the  an- 
cients, without  which  there  can  be  no  unity,  gracefulnefs, 
or  grandeur  in  their  works  ;  which,  of  confequence,  muft 
ferve  only  to  disfigure  and  difhonor  the  nation,  being  fo 
many  monuments  to  future  ages  of  the  opulence  and  ill 
tafte  of  the  prefent ;  which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  would  fuc- 
ceed  as  wretchedly,  and  make  as  mad  work  in  other  affairs, 
were  men  to  follow,  inftead  of  rules,  precepts,  and  mod- 
els, their  own  tafte  and  firft  thoughts  of  beauty. 

Alc. — I  fhould  now,  methinks,  be  glad  to  fee  a  little 
more  diftin£lly,  the  ufe  and  tendency  of  this  digreffion 
upon  architecture. 

EupH. — Was  not  beauty  the  very  thing  we  inquired 
after  ? 

Alc. — It  was. 

EuFH. — What  think  you,  Alciphron^  can  the  app-earance 
of  a  thing  pleafe  at  this  time,  and  in  this  place,  which 
pleafed  two  thoufand  years  ago,  and  two  thoufand  miles 
off,   without  fome  real  principle  of  beauty  } 

Alc. — It  cannot. 

EuPH. — And  is  not  this  the  cafe  with  refpe£t  to  a  juft 
piece  of  architecture  ? 

Alc. — No  body  denies  it. 

EuPH. — Architecture,  the  noble  offspring  of  judgm^cnt 
and  fancy,  was  gradually  formed  in  the  moft  polite  and 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  135 

knowing  countries  of  Afta^  Egypt,  Gteece  and  Italy.  It  was 
chcriihed  and  elleemed  by  the  moft  flourifhing  dates,  and 
moft  renowned  princes,  who,  with  vad  expenfe,  improved 
and  brought  it  to  perfection.  It  feems,  above  all  other 
arts,  peculiarly  converfant  about  order,  proportion,  and 
fymmetry.  May  it  not,  therefore,  be  fuppofed,  on  all  ac- 
counts, moft  likely  to  help  us  to  fome  rational  notion  of 
theyV  nefcai  quoi  in  beauty  ?  And,  in  eiFecSl,  have  we  not 
learned  from  this  digreffion,  that,  as  there  is  no  beauty 
without  proportion,  fo  proportions  are  to  be  efteemed  jufh 
and  true,  only  as  they  are  relative  to  fome  certain  ufe  or 
end,  their  aptitude  and  fubordination  to  which  end  is,  at 
bottom,  that  which  makes  them  pleafe  and  charm  ? 
Alc. — I  admit  all  this  to  be  true. 

X.  EuPH. — According  to  this  doctrine,  I  would  fain 
know  what  beauty  can  be  found  in  a  moral  fyllem,  form- 
ed, connected,  and  governed  by  chance,  fate,  or  any  other 
blind  unthinking  principle  ?  forafmuchas,  without  thought, 
there  can  be  no  end  or  defign  ;  and,  without  an  end,  there 
can  be  no  ufe  ;  and,  without  ufe,  there  is  no  aptitude  or  fit- 
nefs  of  proportion,  from  whence  beauty  fprings. 

Alc. — May  we  not  fuppofe  a  certain  vital  principle  of 
beauty,  order,  and  harmony,  diftufed  throughout  the  world, 
without  fuppoHng  a  Providence,  Infpedling,  punifhing,  and 
rewarding  the  moral  actions  of  men  ?  without  fuppofing 
the  immortality  of  the  foul,  or  a  life  to  come ;  in  a  word, 
without  admitting  any  part  of  what  is  commonly  called 
faith,  worfhip,  and  religion  ? 

Cri. — Either  you  fuppofe  this  principle  intelligent,  or 
not  intelligent  :  If  the  latter,'  it  is  all  one  with  chance,  or 
fate,  which  was  juft  now  agreed  agSinft :  If  the  former, 
let  me  intreat  Alciphron  to  explain  to  me,  wherein  confifts 
the  beauty  of  a  moral  fyftem,  with  a  Supreme  Intelligence 
at  the  head  of  it,  which  neither  prote£ts  the  innocent,  pun- 
i(he3  the  wicked,  nor  rewards  the  virtuous  ?  To  fuppofe, 


136  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

indeed,  a  fociety  of  rational  agents,  acting  under  the  eye  of 
Providence,  concurring  in  one  defign  to  promote  the  com- 
mon benefit  of  the  M^iole,  and  conforming  their  actions  to 
the  eftabhftied  laws  and  order  of  the  Divine  Paternal  Wif- 
dom :  Wherein  each  particular  agent  {hall  not  confider 
himfelf  apart,  but  as  the  member  of  a  great  city,  whofe 
author  and  founder  is  God  :  In  which  the  civil  laws  are 
no  other,  than  the  rules  of  virtue,  and  the  duties  of  reli- 
gion :  And  where  every  one's  true  intereft  is  combined 
with  his  duty  :  to  fuppofe  this,  would  be  delightful :  On 
this  fuppofition,  a  man  need  be  no  ftoic  or  knight-errant, 
to  account  for  his  virtue.  In  fuch  a  fyftem,  vice  is  mad- 
nefs,  cunning  is  folly,  wifdom  and  virtue  are  the  fame 
thing,  where,  notwithftanding  all  the  crooked  paths  and 
by-roads,  the  wayward  appetites  and  inclinations  of  men, 
fovereign  reafon  is  fure  to  reform  whatever  feems  amifs, 
to  reduce  that  which  is  devious,  make  flraight  that  which 
is  crooked,  and,  in  the  laft  a£l:,  wind  up  the  whole  plot, 
according  to  the  exacSleft  rules  of  wifdom  and  juftice.  In 
fuch  a  fyftem,  or  fociety,  governed  by  the  wifeft  precepts, 
enforced  bythe  higheft  rewards  and  difcouragemcnts,  it  is 
delightful  to  confider,  how  the  regulation  of  laws,  the  dif- 
tribution  of  good  and  evil,  the  aim  of  moral  agents,  do 
all  confpire,  in  due  fubordination,  to  promote  the  noblell 
end,  to  wit,  the  complete  happinefs,  or  well-being,  of  the 
whole.  In  contemplating  the  beauty  of  fuch  a  moral  fyf- 
tem, we  may  cry  out,  with  the  pfalmift,  Fery  excellent  things 
are  fpohen  of  thee,  though  City  of  God, 

XI.  In  a  fyftem  of  fpirits,  fubordinate  to  the  will,  and 
under  the  direction,  of  the  Father  of  fpirits,  governing  them 
by  laws,  and  condu£Hng  them  by  methods^  fuitable  to  wife 
and  good  ends,  there  will  be  great  beauty.  But  in  an  in- 
coherent fortuitous  fyftem,  governed  by  chance,  or  in  a 
blind  fyftem,  governed  by  fate,  or  in  any  fyftem  where 
Providence  doth  not  prefide^  how  can  beauty  be,  which  can- 


[Dial.  IH.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  137 

not  be  without  order,  which  cannot  be  without  defign  ? 
when  a  man  is  confcious  that  his  will  is  inwardly  conform- 
ed to  the  divine  will,  producing  order  and  harmony  in  the 
univerfe,  and  condu6ling  the  whole  by  the  jultefl  methods 
to  the  bell  end  :  This  gives  a  beautiful  idea.  But  en  ths 
other  hand,  a  confcioufnefs  of  virtue  overlooked,  negle(?:ed, 
diftrelTed  by  men,  and  not  regarded  or  rewarded  by  God, 
ill-ufed  in  this  world,  without  hope  or  profpe£l:  of  being 
better  ufed  in  another,  I  would  fain  know,  where  is  the 
pleafure  of  this  reflexion,  where  is  the  beauty  of  this  fcene  ? 
or,  how  could  any  man,  in  his  fenfes,  think  the  fpreading 
fuch  notions  the  way  to  fpread  or  propagate  virtue  in  the 
world  ?  Is  it  not,  I  befeech  you,  an  ugly  fyllem,  in  which 
you  can  fuppofe  no  law,  and  prove  no  duty,  wherein  men 
thrive  by  wickednefs,  and  fufFer  by  virtue  ?  Would  it  not 
be  a  difagreeable  fight  to  fee  an  honed  man  peeled  by  {harp- 
ers, -to  fee  virtuous  men  injured  and  defpifed,  while  vice 
triumphed  ?  An  enthufiaft  may  entertain  himfelf  with 
vifions,  and  fine  talk,  about  fuch  a  fyftem  ;  but  when  it 
comes  to  be  confidered  by  men  of  cool  heads,  and  clofe 
reafon,  I  believe  they  will  find  no  beauty  nor  perfe6lion 
in  it ;  nor  will  it  appear,  that  fuch  a  moral  fyftem  can 
poflibly  come  from  the  fame  hand,  or  be  of  a  piece  with 
the  natural,  throughout  which  there  fhines  fo  much  order, 
harmony,  and  proportion. 

Alc— Your  difcourfe  ferves  to  confirm  me  in  my  opin- 
ion. You  may  remember,  I  declared,  that  touching  this 
beauty  of  morality  in  the  high  fenfe,  a  man's  firft  thoughts 
are  bed  j  and  that,  if  we  pretend  to  examine,  and  infpe£l, 
and  reafon,  we  are  in  danger  to  lofe  fight  of  it.*  That, 
in  fa£l:,  there  is  fuch  a  thing  cannot  be  doubted,  when  we 
confider  that,  in  thefe  days,  fome  of  our  philofophers  have  a 
high  fenfe  of  virtue,  without  the  lead  notion  of  religion, 

*  Men's  firft  thoughts  on  moral  matters  arc  generally  better  than 
their  fecond  :  their  natural  notions  better  than  thofe  refined  by  ftudy. 
Charaderiftics,  Vol.  i.  p.  13. 

s 


138  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

a  clear  proof  of  the  ufefulnefs  and  efficacy  of  our  prin- 
ciples ! 

XII.  Cri. — Not  to  difpute  the  virtue  of  Minute  Philo- 
fophers,  we  may  venture  to  call  its  caufe  In  queftion,  and 
make  a  doubt,  vi^hether  it  be  an  inexplicable  enthufiaftic 
notion  of  moral  beauty,  or  rather,  as  to  me  it  feems,  what 
was  already  affigned  by  Euphranor^  complexion,  cuftom, 
and  religious  education  ?  but,  allowing  what  beauty  you 
pleafe,  to  virtue  in  an  irreligious  fyftem,  it  cannot  be  lefs  in 
a  religious,  unlefs  you  will  fuppofe  that  her  charms  dimin- 
ifh,  as  her  dowry  increafeth.  The  truth  is,  a  believer 
hath  all  the  motives  from  the  beauty  of  virtue,  in  any  fenfe 
whatloever,  that  an  unbeliever  can  poffibly  have,  befides' 
o'thcr  motives,  which  an  Unbeliever  hath  not.  Hence  it  is 
plain,  that  thofe  of  your  fe£l:,  who  have  moral  virtue,  owe 
it  not  to  their  peculiar  tenets,  which  ferve  only  to  leflen  the 
motives  to  virtue.  Thofe,  therefore,  who  are  good,  are 
lefs  good,  and  thofe  who  are  bad,  are  more  bad,  than  they 
would  have  been,  were  they  believers. 

EupH. — <To  me  it  feems,  thofe  heroic  infidel  inamora- 
tos of  abftrafted  beauty,  are  much  to  be  pitied,  and  much 
to  be  admired.  Lyftclesy  hearing  this,  faid,  with  fome  im- 
patience, gentlemen,  you  (hall  have  my  whole  thoughts 
upon^this  point,  plain  and  frank.  All  that  is  faid  about  a 
moral  fenfe,  or  moral  beauty,  in  any  fignificatlon,  either  of 
Alciphron  or  Euphranor^  or  any  other,  I  take  to  be  at  bot- 
tom mere  bubble  and  pretence.  The  hilon  and  the  prepo?ty 
the  beautiful  and  the  decent,  are  things  outward,  relative, 
and  fuperficial,  which  have  no  efFe£i:  in  the  dark,  but  are 
fpecious  topics  to  difcourfe  and  expatiate  upon,  as  fome 
formal  pretenders  of  our  fed:,  though  in  other  points 
very  orthodox,  are  ufed  to  do.  But  Ihould  one  of  them  get 
into  power,  you  would  find  him  no  fuch  fool  as  Euphranor 
imagines.  He  would  foon  fhew  he  had  found  out,  that  the 
love  of  one's  country  is  a  prejudice  :  That  mankind  are 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  139 

rogues  and  {lypocrites,  and  that  it  were  folly  to  facrifice 
one's  lelf  for  the  fake  of  fuch  :  That  ail  regards  center  in 
this  life,  and  that,  as  this  life  is  to  every  man  his  own  life, 
it  clearly  follows  that  charity  begins  at  home.  Benevo- 
lence to  mankind  is  perhaps  pretended,  but  benevolence  to 
himfelf  is  praclifed  by  the  wife.  The  liveHer  fort  of  our 
philofophers  do  not  fcruple  to  own  thefe  maxims  ;  and  as 
for  the  graver,  if  they  are  true  to  their  principles,  one  may 
guefs  what  they  muft  think  at  bottom. 

Cri. — Whatever  may  be  the  effeA  of  pure  theory  upon 
certain  felect  fpirits,  of  a  peculiar  make,  or  in  feme  other 
parts  of  the  world  ;  I  do  verily  think  that,  in  this  country, 
of  ours,  reafon,  religion,  law,  are  all  together  little  enough 
to  fubdue  the  outward  to  the  inward  man  ;  and  that  it 
muft  argue  a  wrong  head,  and  weak  judgment,  to  fuppofe, 
that,  without  them,  men  would  be  enamoured  of  the  golden 
mean.  To  which  my  countrymen,  perhaps,  are  lefs  incli- 
ned than  others,  there  being  in  the  make  of  an  Englifh  mind 
a  certain  gloom  and  eagernefs,  which  carries  to  the  fad 
extreme  ;  religion  to  fanaticifm  ;  free-thinking  to  atheifm  ; 
liberty  to  rebellion  :  Nor  ihould  we  venture  to  be  govern- 
ed by  tafte,  even  in  matters  of  lefs  confequence.  The 
beautiful  in  drefs,  furniture,  and  building,  is,  as  Euphratior 
hath  obferved,  fomething  real  and  well  grounded  :  And 
yet  our  Englijh  do  not  find  it  out  of  themfelves.  What 
wretched  v/ork  do  they  and  other  northern  people  make, 
when  they  follow  their  own  tafte  of  beauty,  in  any  of  thefe 
particulars,  inftead  of  acquiring  the  true,  which  is  to  be 
got  from  ancient  models  and  the  principles  of  art,  as  in  the 
cafe  of  virtue,  from  great  models  and  meditation,  fo  far  as 
natural  means  can  go  ?  But  in  no  cafe  is  it  to  be  hoped, 
that  to  kalon  will  be  the  leading  idea  of  \!\\z  many,  who 
have  quick  fenfes,  ftrong  paJGTions,  and  grofs  intellects. 

XIII.  Alc. — The  fewer  they  are,  the  more  ought  we 
to  efteem,  and  admire  fuch  philofophers,  whofe  fouls  arc 
touched,  and  tranfported,  with  this  fublime  idea. 


740  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

Cri. — 'But  then  one  might  expect,  from  fuch  philofo- 
phers,  fo  much  good  fenfe,  and  philanthrophy,  as  to  keep 
their  tenets  to  themfelves,  and  confider  their  weak  breth- 
ren, who  are  more  ftrongly  affe6led  by  certain  fenfes  and  no- 
tions of  another  kind,  than  that  of  the  beauty  of  pure  dif- 
interefted  virtue.  Cratylus,  a  man  prejudiced  againft  the 
chriftian  religion,  of  a  crazy  conftitution,  of  a  rank  above 
moft  men's  ambition,  and  a  fortune  equal  to  his  rank,  had 
little  capacity  for  fenfual  vices,  or  temptation  to  diflionefl 
ones.  Cratylus  having  talked  himfeif,  or  imagined  that  he 
had  talked  himfeif,  into  a  ftoical  enthufiafm  about  the 
beauty  of  virtue,  did,  under  the  pretence  of  making  men 
heroically  virtuous,  endeavor  to  deflroy  the  means  of  ma- 
king them  reafonably  and  humanly  fo.  A  clear  inftance, 
that  neither  birth,  norbooks,  norconverfation,  can  introduce 
a  knowledge  of  the  world  into  a  conceited  mind,  which 
will  ever  be  its  own  object,  and  contemplate  mankind  in 
its  own  mirror  ! 

Alc. — Cratylus  v/as  a  lover  of  liberty,  and  of  his  coun- 
try, and  had  a  mind  to  make  men  incorrupt  and  virtuous, 
upon  the  pureft  and  moft  difinterefted  principles. 

Cri.' — It  is  true,  the  main  fcope  of  all  his  writings  (as 
he  himfeif  tells  us)  was  to  afiert  the  reality  of  a  beauty 
and  charm  in  moral,  as  well  as  in  natural  fubjedls  :  to 
demonftrate  a  taile,  which  he  thinks  more  effectual  than 
principle  :  to  recommend  morals  on  the  fame  foot  with 
manners  ;  and  fo  to  advance  philofophy  on  the  very  foun- 
dation of  what  is  called  agreeable  and  polite.  As  for  re- 
ligious qualms,  the  belief  of  a  future  flate  of  rewards  and 
punifbments,  and  fuch  matters,  this  great  man  fticks  not 
to  declare,  that  the  liberal,  polifhed,  and  refined  part  of 
mankind,  m.uft  needs  confider  them  only  as  children's  tales, 
and  amufements  of  the  vulgar.  For  the  fake,  therefore, 
of  tll^  better  fort,  he  hath,  in  great  goodncfs  and  wif- 
dom,  thought  cf  fomething  elfe,  to  wit,  a  tafl:e  or  relifli : 
thisj  he  sHVires  uSj  is^  at  laft.  what  will  influence :  fince. 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  141 

according  to  him,  whoever  has  any  impreffion  of  gentili- 
ty (as  he  calls  it)  or  politenefs,  is  fo  acquainted  with  the 
decorum  and  grace  of  things,  as  to  be  really  tranfported 
with  the  comtemplation  thereof.*  His  conduct  feems  juft 
as  wife,  as  if  a  monarch  (hould  give  out,  that  there  was 
neither  jail  nor  executioner  in  his  kingdom,  to  enforce  the 
laws,  but  that  it  would  be  beautiful  to  obferve  them,  and 
that,  in  fo  doing,  rnen  would  tafte  the  pure  delight  which 
refults  from  order  and  decorum. 

Alc. — After  all,  is  it  not  true,  that  certain  ancient 
philofophers,  of  great  note,  held  the  fame  opinion  with 
CraPjluSy  declaring  that  he  did  not  come  up  to  the  charac- 
ter, or  deferve  the  title  of  a  good  man,  who  praftifed 
virtue  for  the  fake  of  any  thing  but  its  own  beauty  ? 

Cri. — I  believe,  indeed,  that  fome  of  the  ancients 
faid  fuch  things  as  gave  occafion  for  this  opinion.  AriJ- 
totle  f  diftinguifheth  between  two  characters  of  a  good 
man,  the  one  he  calleth  agathosy  or  fimply  good,  the  other 
kalos  kagathos,  from  whence  the  compound  term  halohaga- 
thia,  which  cannot,  perhaps,  be  rendered  by  any  one 
word  in  our  language.  But  his  fenfe  is  plainly  this  : 
agathos  he  defineth  to  be,  that  man  to  whom  the  good 
things  of  nature  are  good  :  For,  according  to  him,  thofe 
things,  which  are  vulgarly  efteemed  the  greateft  goods, 
as  riches,  honors,  power,  and  bodily  perfections,  are 
indeed  good  by  nature ;  but  they  happen,  neverthelefs, 
to  be  hurtful  and  bad  to  fome  perfons,  upon  the  account 
of  evil  habits  :  inafmuch  as  neither  a  fool,  nor  an  unjufb 
man,  nor  an  intemperate,  can  be  at  all  the  better  for  the 
ufe  of  them,  any  more  than  a  fick  man  for  ufing  tKe  nou- 
rifhment  proper  for  thofe  who  are  in  health.  But  kalos 
kagathos  is  that  man,  in  whom  are  to  be  found  all  things 
worthy,    and  decent,   and  laudable,   purely  as  fuch,   and 

*  See  Charaileriflics,  Vol.  III.  Mifcel-  5.  cap,  3.  and  Mifcel  3.  cap   %■ 

t  Ethic  ad  Eudcmum,  lib.  7-  cap-  ult. 


142  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

for  their  own  fake,  and  who  pra6lifeth  virtue  from 
no  other  motive  but  the  fole  love  of  her  own  innate  beauty. 
That  philofopher  obferves,  likewife,  that  there  is  a  cer- 
tain political  habit,  fuch  as  the  Spartans,  and  others  had, 
who  thought  virtue  was  to  be  valued  and  pra£tifed  on  ac- 
count of  the  natural  advantages  that  attend  it.  For  which 
reafon,  he  adds,  they  are  indeed  good  men,  but  they 
have  not  the  kalokagatMa,  or  fupreme  confummate  virtue. 
From  hence  it  is  plain  that,  according  to  Arijlotle,  2l  man 
may  be  a  good  man,  without  believing  virtue  its  own  re- 
ward, or  being  only  moved  to  virtue  by  the  fenfe  of  moral 
beauty.  It  is  alfo  plain,  that  he  diftinguifheth  the  politi- 
cal virtue  of  nations,  which  the  pubhc  is  every  where 
concerned  to  maintain,  from  this  fublime  and  fpeculative 
kind.  It  might  alfo  be  obferved,  that  this  exalted  idea 
did  confift  with  fuppofing  a  Providence,  which  infpe£ts 
and  rewards  the  virtues  of  the  beil  men.  For,  faith  he 
in  another  place,  *  if  the  gods  have  any  care  of  human 
affairs,  as  it  appears  they  have,  it  fhould  feem  reafonable 
to  fuppofe,  that  they  are  moft  delighted  with  the  moft  ex- 
cellent nature,  and  moft  approaching  their  own,  which  is 
the  mind,  and  that  they  will  reward  thofe  who  chiefly 
love  and  cultivate  what  is  moft  dear  to  them.  The  fame 
philofoplier  obferves,  f  that  the  bulk  of  mankind  are  not 
naturally  difpofed  to  be  awed  by  fhame,  but  by  fear  :  nor 
to  abftain  from  vicious  pra61:ices,  on  account  of  their  de- 
formity, but  only  of  the  punifliment  which  attends  them. 
And  again,  |  he  tells  us,  that  youth,  being  of  itfelf 
averfe  from  abftinence  and  fobriety,  fliould  be  under  the 
reftrauit  of  lav/s,  regulating  their  education  and  employ- 
ment, and  that  the  fame  difcipline  fhould  be  continued 
even  after  they  became  men.  For  which,  faith  he,  we 
want  laws,  and,  in  one  word,  for  the  whole  ordering  of 
life  :  inafmuch  as  the  generality  of  mankind  obey  rather 

*  Ad  Nicom.  I.  lo.  c.  8-        f  Ibid.  c.  9.        \  Ibid. 


[Dial.  Ill]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  143 

force  than  reafon,  and  are  influenced  rather  by  penalties, 
than  the  beauty  of  virtue  j  Zemiais  e  to  halo.  From  all 
which  it  is  very  phiin,  what  Arijlotle  would  have  thought 
of  thofe,  who  fhould  go  about  to  leflen  or  deftroy  the  hopes 
and  fears  of  mankind,  in  order  to  make  them  virtuous  on 
this  fole  principle  of  the  beauty  of  virtue. 

XIV,  Alc. — But,  whatever  the  Stagirke  and  his  peri- 
patetics might  think,  is  it  not  certain  the  ftoics  maintain- 
ed this  do(3:rine  in  its  higheft  fenfe,  aflerting  the  beauty 
of  virtue  to  be  all-fufficient ;  that  virtue  was  her  own  re- 
ward ;  that  this  alone  could  make  a  man  happy,  in  fpite 
of  all  thofe  things  which  are  vulgarly  eftecmed  the  greateft 
woes  and  miferies  of  human  life  ?  And  all  this  they  held 
at  the  fame  time  that  they  believed  the  foul  of  man  to  be 
of  a  corporeal  nature,  and  in  death  diflipated  like  a  flame 
or  vapour, 

Cri. — It  muft  be  owned,  the  ftoics  fometimes  talk,  as  if 
they  believed  the  mortality  of  the  foul.  Seneca,  in  a  letter  of 
his  to  Lud/ius,{ipt2ks  much  like  a  Minute  Philofopher,  in  this 
particular.  But  in  feveral  other  places,  he  declares  himfelf  of 
a  clear  contrary  opinion,  affirming,  that  the  fouls  of  men, 
after  death,  mount  aloft  into  the  heavens,  look  down  upon 
earth,  entertain  themfelves  with  the  theory  of  ccleftial 
bodies,  the  courfe  of  nature,  and  the  converfation  of  wife 
and  excellent  men,  who  having  lived  in  diftant  ages  and 
countries  upon  earth,  make  one  fociety  in  the  other 
world.  It  muft  alfo  be  acknowledged,  that  Marcus  An- 
toninus fometimes  fpeaks  of  the  foul,  as  periftiing,  or  dif- 
folving  into  its  elementary  parts  :  But  it  is  to  be  noted, 
that  he  diftlnguiftieth  three  principles  in  the  compofition 
of  human  nature,  the  foma^  pfuche,  nous,  *  body,  foul, 
mind,  or,  as  he  other  wife  exprefl^eth  himfelf,  farkia, 
pneumatlon,  and  egemonikon,  fiefti  fpirit,  and  governing 
principle.     What  he  calls  the  pfuche^  or  foul,  containing 

*  L.  3,  c,  16. 


144  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  Ill] 

the  brutal  part  of  our  nature,  is  indeed  reprefented  as  a 
compound  diflbluble,  and  actually  diflblved  by  death  i 
But  the  musy  or  to  egemonikony  the  mind,  or  ruhng  princi- 
ple, he  held  to  be  of  a  pure  celeftial  nature,  theou  apospaf- 
may  a  particle  of  God,  v/hich  he  fends  back  intire  ^  to 
the  ftars  and  the  Divinity.  Befides,  among  all  his 
magnificent  lemons,  and  fplendid  fentiments,  upon  the 
force  and  beauty  of  virtue,  he  is  pofitive  as  to  the  being 
of  God,  and  that  not  merely  as  a  plaftic  nature,  or  foul 
of  the  world,  but  in  the  ftri£t  fenfe  of  a  Providence,  in 
fpe^bing  and  taking  care  of  human  affairs.   * 

The  doles,  therefore,  though  their  ftile  was  high,  and 
often  above  truth  and  nature,  yet  it  cannot  be  faid,  that 
they  fo  refolved  every  motive  to  a  virtuous  life  into  the 
fole  beauty  of  virtue,  as  to  endeavor  to  deftroy  the  belief 
of  the  immortality  of  the  foul,  and  a  diftribijtive  Providence. 
After  all,  allowing  the  difinterefted  ftoics  (therein  not  un- 
like our  modern  quietifts)  to  have  made  virtue  its  own  fole 
reward,  in  the  mofl:  rigid  and  abfolute  fenfe,  yet  what  is 
this  to  thole  who  are  no  floics  ?  If  we  adopt  the  whole 
principles  of  that  fe£l:,  admitting  their  notions  of  good  and 
evil,  their  celebrated  apathy,  and,  in  one  word,  fetting  up 
for  complete  (toics,  we  may  poflibly  maintain  this  doctrine 
with  a  better  grace  :  at  lead,  it  will  be  of  a  piece,  and  con- 
fident with  the  Vi^hole.  But  he  who  diall  borrow  this 
fplendid  patch  from  the  doics,  and  hope  to  make  a  figure 
by  inferting  it  in  a  piece  of  modern  com.pofition,  feafoned 
with  the  wit  and  notions  of  thefe  times,  will  indeed  make 
a  figure,  but  perhaps  it  may  not  be,  in  the  eyes  of  a  wife 
man,  the  figure  he  intended. 

XV.  Though  it  mud  be  owned,  the  prefent  age  is  very 
indulgent  to  every  thing  that  aims  at  profane  raillery ; 
which  is  alone  fufficient  to  recommend  any  fantadical  com- 
pofition  to  the  public.      You   may  behold  the  tinfel  of  a 

*  Marc.  Anf.onin.  L   a.   §.   ir. 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER,  145 

modern  author  pafs  upon  this  knowing  and  learned  age 
for  good  writing  ;  afFe£led  ftrains  for  wit  ;  pedantry  for 
politenefs  ;  obfcurities  for  depths  ;  rambUngs  for  flights  ; 
the  moit  aukward  imitation  for  original  humor  ;  and  all 
this  upon  the  fole  merit  of  a  little  artful  profanenefs. 

Aj.c. — Every  one  is  not  alike  pleafed  with  writings  of 
humor,  nor  alike  capable  of  them.  It  is  the  fine  irony  of 
an  author  of  quality,  *  That   certain  reverend  authors, 

*  who  can  condefcend  to  lay-wit,  are  nicely  qualified  to  hit 

*  the  air  of  breeding  and  gentility,  and  that  they  will  in 

*  time,  no  doubt,  refine  their  manner  to  the  edification  of 
'  the  polite  world  ;  who  have  been  fo  long  feduced,  by 
'  the  way  of  raillery,  and  wit/  The  truth  is,  the  various 
tafte  of  readers,  requireth  various  kinds  of  writers.  Our 
fe6t  hath  provided  for  this,  with  great  judgment.  To 
profelyte  the  graver  fort,  we  have  certain  profound  men  at 
reafon  and  argument.  For  the  coffee-houfes,  and  popu- 
lace, we  have  declaimers  of  a  copious  vein.  Of  fuch  a 
writer,  it  is  no  reproach  to  fay,  Jluit  lutukntus  ;  he  is  the 
fitter  for  his  readers.  Then,  for  men  of  rank  and  polite- 
nefs, we  have  the  fined:,  and  wittieft  Railleurs  in  the  world, 
whofe  ridicule,  is  the  fure  tell  of  truth. 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alciphroriy  are  thofe  ingenious  Rail- 
lettrsy  men  of  knowledge  ? 

Alc. — Very  knowing. 

EuPH. — Do  they  know,  for  inftance,  the  Copernican 
fyftem,  or  the  circulation  of  the  blood  ? 

Alc. — One  would  think  you  judged  of  our  fe£l:,by  your 
country  neighbors  :  There  is  nobody  in  town,  but  knov/s 
all  thofe  points. 

EupH. — You  believe  then,  antipodes,  mountains  in  the 
moon,  and  the  motion  of  the  earth. 

Alc — We  do. 

EuPH. — Suppofe,  five  or  ii:;  centuries  ago,  a  man  had 
maintained  thefe  notions  among  the  leau>i  efprits  of  an 
EngUfi  court  •,  how  do  you  think  they  would  have  been 
received  .^ 

T 


146  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial,  III.] 

Alc. — With  great  ridicule. 

EuPH. — And  now  it  would  be  ridiculous  to  ridicule 
them. 

Alc. — It  would. 

EupH. — But  truth  was  the  fame,  then  and  now. 

Alc. — It  was. 

EupH. — It  ftiouid  feem,  therefore,  that  ridicule  is  no 
fuch  fovereign  touchftone,  and  teft  of  truth,  as  you  gentle- 
men imagine.  * 

Alc. — One  thing  we  know  :  Our  raillery  and  farcafms 
gall  the  black  tribe,  and  that  is  our  comfort. 

Cri. — ^There  is  another  thing,  it  might  be  worth  your 
while  to  know  :  That  men,  in  a  laughing  fit,  may  applaud 
a  ridicule,  which  fhall  appear  contemptible  when  they 
come  to  them.felves :  Witnefs  the  ridicule  of  Socrates  by 
the  comic  poet,  the  humour  and  reception  it  met  with,  no 
more  proving  that,  than  the  fame  will  your's,  to  be  juft, 
when  calmly  confidered  by  men  of  fenfe. 

Aix. — After  ail,  thus  much  is  certain,  our  ingenious 
men  make  converts  by  deriding  the  principles  of  religion. 
And,  take  my  word,  it  is  the  moft  fuccefsful  and  pleafing 
method  of  convitticn.  Thefe  authors  laugh  men  out  of 
their  religion,  as  Horace  did  out  of  their  vices  :  Admijijl 
circum  pracordia  ludurit.  But  a  bigot  cannot  reliih  or  find 
out  their  wit. 

X\T.   Cri.  "VVit  without  wifdom,  if   there  be  fuch  a 

thing,  is  hardly  worth  finding.      And,  as  for  the  wifdom 

of  thefe  men,  it  is  of  a  kind  fo  peculiar,  one  may  well  fuf- 

peft  it.      Cicero  was  a  man  of  fenfe,  and  no  bigot,  never- 

thelefs  he  makes  Scipio  own  himfelf  much  more  vigilant 

and  vigorous  in  the  race  of  virtue,  from  fuppofing  heaven 

the  prize.*     And  he  introduceth  C^/c  declaring,  he  would 

never  have  undergone  thofe  virtuous  toils  for  the  fervicc 

of  the  public,  if  he  had  thought  his  being  was  to  end  with 

this  life.f 

*  Somn.  Sclplonis.  +  De  SeneAute. 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  147 

Alc. — I  acknowledge  Cato^  Scipioy  and  Cicero,  were 
very  well  for  their  times  :  But  you  muft  pardon  me,  if  I 
do  not  think  they  arrived  at  the  high  confummate  virtue  of 
our  modern  free-thinkers. 

EuPH.— It  fliould  feem  then,  that  virtue  flourifheth 
more  than  ever  among  us. 

Alc. — It  ftiould. 

EuPH. — And  this  abundant  virtue  is  owing  to  the 
method  taken  by  your  profound  writers  to  recommend  it. 

Alc. — This  I  grant. 

EuPH. — But  you  have  acknowledged,  that  the  enthufi- 
aftic  lovers  of  virtue  are  not  the  many  of  your  feci,  but 
only  a  few  feled  fpirits.  To  which  Alciphron  making  no 
anfwer,  Crito  addrefled  himfelf  to  Euphranor  :  To  make, 
faid  he,  a  true  eftimate  of  the  worth  and  growth  of  modern 
virtue,  you  are  not  to  count  the  virtuous  men,  but  rather 
to  confider  the  quality  of  their  virtue.  Now  you  muft 
know,  the  virtue  of  thefe  refined  theorifts  is  fomething  fo 
pure  and  genuine,  that  a  very  little  goes  far,  and,  is  in 
truth,  invaluable.  To  which  that  reafonable,  interefted 
virtue,  of  the  old  EngUJh,  or  Spartan  kind,  can  bear  no 
proportion. 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alciphron,  are  there  not  difeafes  of  the 
foul,  as  well  as  of  the  body  .'' 

Alc. — ^Without  doubt. 

EuPH.— And  are  not  thofe  difeafes,  vicious  habits  ? 

Alc. — They  are. 

EuPH. — And,  as  bodily  diftempers  are  cured  by  phyfic, 
thofe  of  the  mind  are  cured  by  phiiofophy  :  are  they  not  ? 

Alc— I  acknowledge  it. 

EuPH. — It  feems,  therefore,  that  phiiofophy  is  a  medi- 
cine for  the  foul  of  man. 

Alc— It  is. 

EuPH. — How  fhall  we  be  able  to  judge  of  medicines, 
or  know  which  to  prefer  ?  Is  it  not  from  the  effects 
wrought  by  them  ? 

Alc — Doubtlefs. 


^148  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  III.] 

EuPH.- — V/iiere  an  epidemical  diflemper  rages,  fuppofe 
a  new  phyfician  Diould  condemn  the  known  eftablithed 
pra61:ice,  and  recommend  another  method  of  cure  :  would 
you  not.  In  proportion  as  the  bills  of  mortality  increafed, 
be  tempted  to  fufpeft  this  new  method,  notwithftanding 
all  the  plaufible  difcourfe  of  its  abettors  ? 

Alc. — This  ferves  only  to  amufe  and  lead  us  from  the 
quell  ion. 

Cri. — It  puts  me  m  mind  of  my  friend,  Lamprocksy 
who  needed  but  one  argument  againll  infidels.  I  obferv- 
ed,  faid  he,  that,  as  infidelity  grew,  there  grew  corruption 
of  every  kind,  and  new  vices.  This  fimple  obfervation^ 
on  matter  of  fuel,  was  fufficient  to  make  him,  notvvith- 
ilanding  the  remonftrance  of  feveral  ingenious  men,  imbue 
and  feafon  the  minds  of  his  children  betimes  with  the 
principles  of  religion.  The  new  theories,  which  our 
acute  moderns  have  endeavored  to  fubftitute  in  place  of 
religion,  have  had  their  full  courfe  in  the  prefent  age,  and 
produced  their  t^tdi  on  the  minds  and  manners  of  men. 
That  men  are  men,  is  a  fure  maxim  :  But  it  is  as  furc, 
that  Enghfmnen  are  not  the  fame  men  they  were  :  whether 
better  or  worfe,  more  or  lefs  virtuous,  I  need  not  fay. 
Every  one  may  fee  and  judge.  Though,  indeed,  after 
Arijlides  had  been  banifned,  and  Socrates  put  to  death  at 
Athens^  a  man,  without  being  a  conjurer,  might  guefs  what 
the  beauty  of  virtue  could  do  in  Efigland.  But  there  is 
now  neither  room  nor  occgifion  for  gueffing.  We  have 
our  own  experience  to  open  our  eyes  5  which  yet  if  we 
continue  to  keep  fhut,  till  the  remains  of  religions  educa- 
tion are  quite  worn  oft  from  the  minds  of  men  ;  it  Is  to 
he  feared  we  fiiall  then  open  them  wide,  not  to  avoid,  but 
to  behold  and  lament  our  ruin. 

Alc. — Be  the-confequences  what  they  will,  I  can  never 
bring  myfelf  to  be  of  a  mind  with  thofe,  who  meafure  truth 
by  convenience.  Truth  is  the  only  divinity  that  I  adore. 
Wherever  truth  ler.ds,  I  fliail  follow. 


[Dial.  III.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER-  149 

EuPH. — You  have  then  a  paffion  for  truth  ? 

Alc. — Undoubtedly. 

EuPH. — For  ail  truths  ? 

Alc. — For  all. 

EuPH. — ^To  know,  or  to  pubHfh  them  ? 

Alc. — Both. 

EupH. — What !  would  you  undeceive  a  child  that  was 
taking  phyfic  .''  would  you  officioufly  fet  an  enemy  right, 
that  was  making  a  wrong  attack  ?  would  you  help  an  en- 
raged man  to  his  fword  .'' 

Alc — In  fuch  cafes,  common  fenfe  directs  one  how  to 
behave. 

EuPH. — Common  fenfe,  it  feems  then,  muft  be  confult- 
ed,  whether  a  truth  be  falutary,  or  hurtful,  fit  to  be  declar- 
ed, or  concealed. 

Alc — How  !  you  would  have  me  conceal,  and  fliile 
the  truth,  and  keep  it  to  myfelf  ?  Is  this  what  you  aim  at  ? 

EuPH. 1  only  make  a  plain  inference  from  what  you 

grant.  As  for  myfelf,  I  do  not  believe  your  opinions 
true.  And,  although  you  do,  you  (hould  not,  therefore, 
if  you  would  appear  confident  with  yourfelf,  think  it  ne- 
cefiary,  or  wife,  to  publifli  hurtful  truths.  What  fervice 
can  it  do  mankind,  to  leffen  the  motives  to  virtue,  or  what 
damage  to  increafe  them  ? 

Alc — None  in  the  world.  But  I  muft  needs  fay, 
I  cannot  reconcile  the  received  notions  of  a  God,  and 
Providence,  to  my  underftanding,  and  my  nature  abhors 
the  bafenefs  of  conniving  at  a  falfliood. 

EuPK. — Shall  we,  therefore,  appeal  to  truth,  and  exam- 
ine the  reafons,  by  which  you  are  withheld  from  believing 
thefe  points  ? 

Alc — With  all  my  heart,  but  enough  for  the  prefent. 
We  will  make  this  the  fubje^t  of  our  next  conference. 


THE 

FOURTH     DIALOGUE. 

I.  Prejudices  concerning  a  Deity.  II.  Rules  laid  down  by 
Alciphron,  to  he  ohferved  in  proving  a  God.  III.  What 
fort  of  Proof  he  expeBs.  IV.  Whence  nve  colleSl  the  Be- 
ing cf  other  Thinking  Individuals.  V.  The  fame  Method 
a  fortiori  proves  the  being  of  a  God.  VI.  AlciphronV 
fecond  Thoughts  on  this  Point.  VII.  God  fpeaks  to  Men. 
VIII.  How  Dijlance  is  perceived  by  Sight.  IX.  The  pro- 
per ObjeBs  of  Sight  at  no  dijlance.  X.  Lights^  Shades^ 
and  Colours^  varioufy  comhinedy  form  a  Language.  XL 
The  Signification  of  this  Language  learned  by  Experience, 
XII.  God  explaineth  himfelf  to  the  eyes  cf  Men  by  the  ar- 
bitrary Ufe  of  fenftble  Signs.  XIII.  The  Prejudice  and 
twefold  AfpeEl  of  a  Minute  Philofopher.  XIV.  Godpre- 
fent  to  Mankind^  informs,  admonifhes,  and  direEls  them 
in  a  fenftble  manner.  XV.  Admirable  Nature  and  Ufe 
of  this  vijual  Language.  XVI.  Minute  Philofophers 
content  to  admit  a  God  in  certaift  Senjes.  XVII.  Opinion 
of  feme  y  who  hold  that  Knowledge  and  Wifdom  are  not  pro- 
perly in  God.  XVIII.  Dangerous  Tendency  of  this  No- 
tion. XIX.  Its  Original.  XX.  The  Senfe  of  Schoolmen 
upon  it.  XXI.  Scholafiic  Ufe  of  the  Terms,  Analogy  and 
Analogical,  explained :  Analogical  Perfections  of  God  mif- 
underfood.  XXII.  God  intelligent,  wife  and  good,  in 
the  proper  Senfe  of  the  Words.  XXIII.  OhjeElion  from 
moral  Evil  confidered.  XXIV,  Men  argue  from  their 
own  DefeEls  againfi  a  Deity.  XXV.  Religious  Worflnp 
reafenahle  and  expedient. 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  151 

TjARLY  the  next  morning,  as  I  looked  out  of 
my  window,  I  faw  Alclphron  v/alking  in  the  garden,  with 
all  the  (igns  of  a  man  in  deep  thought.  Upon  which  I 
went  down  to  him.  Aldphron^  faid  I,  this  early  and 
profound  meditation  puts  me  in  no  fmall  fright.  How 
fo  !  Becaufe  I  fhould  be  forry  to  be  convinced  there  was 
no  God.  The  thought  of  anarchy  in  nature  is  to  me 
more  fhocking  than  in  civil  life  :  inafmuch  as  natural  con- 
cerns are  more  important  than  civil,  and  the  bafis  of  all 
others.  I  grant,  replied  Alciphron^  that  fome  inconveni- 
ence may  poflibiy  follow  from  difproving  a  God  :  but,  as 
to  what  you  fay  of  fright  and  fhocking,  all  that  is  nothing 
but  prejudice,  mere  prejudice.  Men  frame  an  idea,  or 
chimera,  in  their  own  minds,  and  then  fall  down  and 
worlhip  it.  Notions  govern  mankind  :  but,  of  all  notions, 
that  of  God's  governing  the  world,  hath  taken  the  deep- 
eft  root,  and  fpread  the  fartheft  ;  It  is  therefore,  in  phi- 
lofophy,  an  heroical  atchievment  to  difpoffefs  this  imagi- 
nary monarch  of  his  government,  and  banifh  all  thofe 
fears  and  fped:res,  which  the  light  of  reafon  alone  can 
difpel ; 

l^on  radii  folis,  non  'lucida  tela  diet 
Difcutiunt^  fed  nature  /pedes  raticque.  * 

!My  part,  faid  I,  fhall  be  to  ftand  by,  as  I  have  hither- 
to done,  and  takes  notes  of  all  that  paiTeth  during  this 
memorable  event  :  while  aMinute  Philofopher,  not  fix  foot 
high,  attempts  to  dethrone  the  Monarch  of  the  univerfe. 
Alas  !  replied  Alclphron^  arguments  are  not  to  be  mea- 
fured  by  feet  and  inches.  One  man  may  fee  more  than 
a  million :  and  a  (hort  argument,  managed  by  a  free- 
thinker, may  be  fufficient  to  overthrow  the  moft  gigantic 
chimera.      As  we  were  engaged  in   this  difcourfe,   Crito 

*  Lucretius. 


152  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

and  Euphranor  joined  us.  I  find  you  have  been  before- 
hand with  us  to-day,  faid  Crito  to  Aldphron,  and  taken 
the  advantage  of  folitude  and  early  hours,  while  Euphra- 
nor and  I  were  afleep  in  our  beds.  We  may,  therefore, 
expefl:  to  fee  atheifm  placed  in  its  bed  light,  and  fup- 
ported  by  the  ilrongeft  arguments. 

II.  Alc — The  being  of  a  God  is  a  fubje£i:  upon  which 
there  has  been  a  world  of  common-place,  which  it  is  need- 
lefs  to  repeat.  Give  me  leave,  therefore,  to,  lay  down  certain 
rules  and  limitations,  in  order  to  fhorten  our  prefent  con- 
ference. For,  as  the  end  of  debating  is  to  perfuade,  all 
thofe  things  which  are  foreign  to  this  end,  fhould  be  left 
out  of  our  debate.  Firft  then,  let  me  tell  you,  I  am  not 
to  be  perfuaded  by  metaphyfical  arguments  j  fuch,  for 
inftance,  as  are  drawn  from  the  idea  of  an  all-perfe£k 
Being,  or  the  abfurdity  of  an  infinite  progreffion  of  cauf- 
cs.  This  fort  of  arguments  I  have  always  found  dry  and 
jejune  :  and,  as  they  are  not  fuited  to  my  way  of  think- 
ing, they  may,  perhaps,  puzzle,  but  never  will  convince 
me.  Secondly,  I  am  not  to  be  perfuaded  by  the  autho- 
rity either  of  paft  or  prefent  ages,  of  mankind  in  general, 
or  of  particular  wife  men  :  all  which  palTeth  for  little  or 
nothing  with  a  man  of  found  argument  and  free  thought. 

Thirdly,  all  proofs  drawn  from  utility,  or  convenience, 
are  foreign  to  the  piirpofe.  They  may  prove,  indeed, 
the  ufefulnefs  of  the  notion,  but  not  the  exiflence  of  the 
thing.  Whatever  legiflators  or  ftatefmen  may  think, 
truth  and  convenience  are  very  different  things  to  the  rig- 
orous eyes  of  a  philofopher.  And  nov/,  that  I  may  not 
feem  partial,  I  will  limit  m.yfelf,  alfo,  not  to  object,  in 
the  firft  place,  from  any  thing  that  may  feem  irregular, 
or  unaccountable  in  the  works  of  nature,  againft  a  caufe 
of  infinite  power  and  wifdom  :  becaufe  I  already  know 
the  anfwer  you  would  make,  to  wit,  that  no  one  can 
judge  of  the   fymmetry  and  ufe  of  the  parts  of  an  in- 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  153 

finite  machine,  which  are  all  relative  to  each  other,  and 
to  the  whole,  without  being  able  to  comprehend  the  en- 
tire machine,  or  the  whole  univerfe.  And,  in  the  fecond 
place,  I  (hall  engage  myfelf  not  to  object  againft  the  juf- 
tice,  and  providence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  from  the  evil 
that  befalls  good  men,  and  the  profperity  which  is  often 
the  portion  of  wicked  men  in  this  life  :  becaufe  I  know 
that,  inftead  of  admitting  this  to  be  an  objedion  againft  a 
Deity,  you  would  make  it  an  argument  for  a  future  ftate  ; 
in  which  there  fhall  be  fuch  a  retribution  of  rewards  and 
punifhments,  as  may  vindicate  the  divine  attributes,  and 
fet  all  things  right  in  the  end.  Now  thefe  anfwers, 
though  they  Ihould  be  admitted  for  good  ones,  arc,  in  truth, 
no  proofs  of  the  being  of  a  God,  but  only  folutions  of  cer- 
tain difficulties  which  might  be  objected,  fuppofing  it  al- 
ready proved  by  proper  arguments.  Thus  much  I  thought 
fit  to  premife,  in  order  to  fave  time  and  trouble  both  to 
you,  and  myfelf. 

Cri. — I  think  that,  as  the  proper  end  of  our  confer- 
ence ought  to  be  fuppofed  the  difcovery  and  defence  of 
truth,  fo  truth  may  be  juftified,  not  only  by  perfuading  its 
adverfaries,  but,  where  that  cannot  be  done,  by  (hewing 
them  to  be  unreafonable.  Arguments,  therefore,  which 
carry  light,  have  their  effeft,  even  againft  an  opponenf 
who  ftiuts  his  eyes,  becaufe  they  ftiew  him  to  be  obftinate 
and  prejudiced.  Befides,  this  diftinction  between  argu- 
ments that  puzzle,  and  that  convince,  is  leaft  of  all,  ob- 
ferved  by  Minute  Philofophers,  and  need  not,  therefore, 
be  obferved  by  others,  in  their  favor.  But,  perhaps^ 
Euphranor  may  be  willing  to  encounter  you  on  your 
own  terms,   in  which  cafe  I  have  nothing   farther  to  fay. 

III.  EuPH. — Alciphron  ads  like  a  fkilful  general,  who 
as  bent  upon  gaining  the  advantage  of  the  ground,  and 
alluring  the  enemy  out  of  their  trenches.  We,  v/wo  be- 
lieve a  God,  are  intrenched  within  tradition,  cuftom,  au- 

U 


154  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.j 

thority  and  law.  And  neverthelefs,  inftead  of  attempting 
to  force  us,  he  propofes  that  we  fhould  voluntarily,  aban- 
don thefe  intr-enchments,  and  make  the  attack  :  when  we 
may  a£t  on  the  defenfive  with  much  fecurity  and  eafe, 
leaving  him  the  trouble  to  difpoffefs  us,  of  what  we  need 
not  refign.  Thofe  reafons  (continued  he,  addreffing  him- 
felf  to  Ahiphron)  which  you  have  muftered  up  in  this 
morning's  meditation,  if  they  do  not  vi^eaken,  mud  eftab^ 
lifli  our  belief  of  a  God  ;  For  the  utmoft  is  to  be  expected 
from  fo  great  a  m after  in  his  profefiion,  when  he  fets  his 
ftrength  to  a  point. 

Alc. — I  hold  the  confufed  notion  of  a  Deity,  or  fome 
invifible  power,  to  be,  of  all  prejudir,^s,  the  moft  uncon- 
querable. When  half  a  dozen  ingenious  men  are  got  to- 
gether over  a  glafs  of  wine,  by  a  chearful  fire,  in  a  room 
well-lighted  j  we  banifti  with  eafe  all  the  fpedlres  of  fancy, 
or  education,  and  are  very  clear  in  our  decifions.  But  as 
I  was  taking  a  folitary  walk  before  it  was  broad  day-light, 
in  yonder  grove,  methought  the  point  was  not  quite  fo 
clear  :  nor  could  I  readily  recorie6l  the  force  of  thofe  ar- 
guments, which  ufed  to  appear  fo  conclufive  at  other  times. 
1  had,  I  know  not,  what  awe  upon  my  mind,  and  feemed 
haunted  by  a  fort  of  panic,  which  I  cannot  otherwife  ac- 
count for,  than  by  fuppofmg  it  the  effecl  of  prejudice  : 
Tor  you  muft  know,  that  I,  like  the  reft  of  the  world,  was 
once  upon  a  time,  catechifed,  and  tutored  into  the  belief 
of  a  God,  or  Spirit.  There  is  no  furer  mark  of  prejudice, 
than  the  believing  a  thing  without  reafon.  What  neceflity 
then  can  there  be  that  I  fhould  fet  myfelf  the  difficult  talk 
of  proving  a  negative,  when  it  is  fufficient  to  obferve,  that 
there  is  no  proof  of  the  affirmative,  and  that  the  admit- 
ting it  without  proof  is  unreafonable  ?  prove,  therefore, 
your  opinion,  or,  if  you  cannot,  you  may  indeed  remain 
in  poffeffion  of  it,  but  you  will  only  be  poflefied  of  a  pre- 
judice. 

EuPH.— *0  Alciphron  I  to  content  you,  we  muft  prove. 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  155 

it  feems,  and  we.muft  prove  upon  your  own  terms.  But, 
in  the  firll  place,  let  us  fee  what  fort  of  proof  you  expe<Sl. 

Alc. — Perhaps  I  may  not  expert  it,  but  I  will  tell  you 
what  fort  of  proof  I  would  have  :  And  that  is,  in  ihort, 
fuch  proof,  as  every  man  of  fenfe  requires  of  a  matter  of 
fa(Sf,  or  the  exiflence  of  any  other  particular  thing.  For 
inftance,  fhould  a  man  afk  why  I  believe  there  is  a  king  of 
Great  Britain  ?  I  might  anfwer,  becaufe  I  had  feeu  him  : 
Or  a  king  of  ^pain  ?  becaufe  I  had  feen  thofe  who  favv'- 
him.  But  as  for  this  king  of  kings,  I  neither  faw  him 
myfelf,  nor  any  one  ^Mt^  that  ever  did  fee  him.  Stirely  if 
there  be  fuch  a  thing  as  God,  it  is  very  ftrange  that  he 
fhould  leave  himfelf  without  a  witnefs  ;  that  men  fliould 
ftiil  difpute  his  being ;  and  that  there  fliould  be  no  one 
evident,  fenfible,  plain  proof  of  it,  v/ithout  recourfe  to  phi- 
lofophy  or  metaphyfics.  A  matter  of  fa6l  is  not  to  be  proved 
by  notions,  but  by  facts.  This  is  clear  and  full  to  the  point. 
You  fee  what  I  would  be  at.  Upon  thefe  principles  I 
defy  fuperftition. 

EuPH. — You  believe  then,  as  far  as  you  can  fee. 

Alc— That  is  my  rule  of  faith. 

EupH. — How  !  will  you  not  believe  the  exiflence  of 
tilings  which  you  hear,  unlefs  you  alfo  fee  them  ? 

Alc. — I  will  not  fay  fo  neither.  When  I  infifted  on 
feeing,  I  would  be  underftood  to  mean  perceiving  in  gener- 
al. Outward  cbjedls  make  very  different  impreffions  up- 
on the  animal  fpirits,  all  which  are  comprifed  under  the 
common  name  of  fenfe.  And  whatever  we  can  perceive 
by  any  fenfe  we  may  be  fure  of. 

IV.  EuPH. — What !  do  you  believe  then  tliere  are  fuch 
things  as  animal  fpirits  "i 

Alc. — Doubtiefs. 

EuPH. — By  what  fenfe,  do  you  perceive  them  ? 

Alc. — I  do  not  perceive  immediately  by  any  of  my  fen- 
fes.     I  am  neverthelefs  perfuaded  of  their  exiflence,   be- 


1^6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

caufe  I  can  coUeft  it  from  their  efFefts  and  operations. 
They  are  the  meflengers,  which,  running  to  and  fro  in 
the  nerves,  preferve  a  communication  between  the  foul 
and  outward  objects. 

EuPH. — You  admit  then,  the  being  of  a  foul. 

Alc. — Provided  I  do  not  admit  an  immaterial  fubftance, 
I  fee  no  inconvenience  in  admitting  there  may  be  fuch  a 
thing  as  a  foul.  And  this  may  be  no  more  than  a  thin 
fine  texture  of  fubtile  parts,  or  fpirits,  refiding  in  the 
brain. 

EuPH. — I  do  not  afk  about  its  nature.  I  only  afk 
whether  you  admit  that  there  is  a  principle  of  thought  and 
action,  and  whether  it  be  perceivable  by  fenfe. 

Alc. — I  grant  that  there  is  fuch  a  principle,  and  that 
it  is  not  the  objeft  of  fenfe  itfelf,  but  inferred  from  appear- 
ances which  are  perceived  by  ienk. 

EuPH. — If  I  underftand  you  rightly,  from  animal  func- 
tions and  motions,  you  infer  the  exiftence  of  animal  fpirits  ; 
and  from  reafonable  a^ls  you  infer  the  exiftence  of  a  rea- 
fonable  foul.     Is  it  not  fo  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — It  fliould  feem  therefore,  that  the  being  of 
things,  imperceptible  to  fenfe,  may  be  collected  from  ef- 
fects and  figns,  or  fenfible  tokens. 

Alc. — It  may. 

EupH. — Tell  me,  Alciphrojiy  is  not  the  foul  that  which 
makes  the  principal  diftin61:ion  between  a  real  perfon  and 
a  ihadow,  a  living  man  and  a  carcafs  ? 

ALc. — I  grant  it  is. 

EuPH. — I  cannot,  therefore,  know  that  you,  for  inftance, 
are  a  diftin61:  thinking  individual,  or  a  living  real  man,  by 
furer,  or  otlier  figns,  than  thofe  from  v/hich  it  can  be  infer- 
red that  you  have  a  fouh 

Alc — You  cannot. 

EuPH. — Pray  tell  me,  are  not  all  a6ls,  immediately  and 
pioperly  perceived  by  fenfe,  reducible  to  motion  ^ 

Alc. — Tliey  arc. 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  157 

EuPH. — From  motions  therefore,  you  Infer  a  mover, 
or  caufe :  And  from  reafonable  motions  (or  fuch  as  appear 
calculated  for  a  reafonable  end)  a  rational  caufe,  foul,  or 
fpirit. 

Alc. — Even  fo. 

V.  EuPH.  The  foul  of  man  ac^luates  but  a  fmall  body, 
an  infignificant  particle,  in  refped:  of  the  great  mafles  of 
nature,  the  elements,  and  heavenly  bodies,  and  the  fyf- 
tem  of  the  world.  And  the  wifdom  that  appears  in  thofe 
motions,  which  are  the  effect  of  human  reafon,  is  incom- 
parably lefs  than  that  which  difcovers  itfelf,  in  the  ftruc- 
ture  and  ufe  of  organized  natural  bodies,  animal  or  veget- 
able. A  man,  with  his  hand,  can  make  no  machine  fo 
admirable  as  the  hand  itfelf  :  Nor  can  any  of  thofe  mo- 
tions, by  which  we  trace  out  human  reafon,  approach 
the  Ikill  and  contrivance  of  thofe  wonderful  motions  of 
the  heart,  and  brain,  and  other  vital  parts,  which  do  not 
depend  on  the  will  of  man. 

Alc. — All  this  Is  true. 

EuPH. — Doth  it  not  follow  then,  that  from  natural 
motions,  independent  of  man's  will,  may  be  inferred  both 
power  and  wifdom,  incomparably  greater  than  that  of 
the  human  foul  ? 

Alc. — It  (hould  fecm  {o. 

EuPH. — Further,  is  there  not,  in  natural  productions 
and  efFe(3:s,  a  vifible  unity  of  council  and  defign  ?  Are 
not  the  rules  affixed  and  immoveable  ^  Do  not  the  fame 
laws  of  motion  obtain  throughout  .'*  The  fame  in  China 
and  here,  the  fame  two  thouf^md  years  ago,  and  at  this 
day  ? 

Alc. — All  this  I  do  not  deny. 

EuPH. — Is  there  not  alfo  a  connexion,  or  relation,  be- 
tween animals  and  vegetables  ;  between  both  and  the 
elements  ;  between  the  elements  and  heavenly  bodies  j 
fo  that,  from  their  mutual  refpe£l§,  influences,  fubordina- 


158  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

tlons,  and  ufes,  they  may  be  coUe^ed  to  be  parts  of 
one  whole,  confpiring  to  one  and  the  fame  end,  and 
fulfilHng  the  fame  defign  ? 

Alc. — Suppoiing  all  this  to  be  true. 

EupH. — Will  it  not  then  follow,  that  this  vaftly  great 
or  infinite  power  and  wifdom,  muft  be  fuppofed  in  one 
and  the  fame  agent,  fpirit  or  mind  ;  and  that  we  have, 
at  leaft,  as  clear,  full,  and  immediate  certainty  of  the 
being  of  this  infinitely  wife  and  powerful  Spirit,  as  of 
any  one  human  foul  whatfoever,  befides  our  own  ?    . 

Alc. — Let  me  confider  :  I  fufpedi  we  proceed  too 
haftily.  "What  !  Do  you  pretend  you  can  have  the  fame 
afiurance  of  the  being  of  God,  that  you  can  have  of  mine, 
whom  you  aftually  fee  ftand  before  you,  and  talk  to  you  ? 

EuPH. — The  very  fame,  if  not  greater. 

Alc. — How  do  you  make  this  appear  ? 

EuPH. — ^By  the  perfon  Alciphron^  is  meant  an  indivi- 
dual thinking  thing,  and  not  the  hair,  fkin,.or  vifible  fur- 
face,  or  any  part  of  the  outward  form,  colour,  or  fhape 
of  Alciphron. 

Alc. — This  I  grant. 

EuPH. — And  in  granting  this,  you  grant  that,  in  a 
flri£t  fenfe,  I  do  not  fee  Alciphron^  i.  e.  that  individual 
thinking  thing,  but  only  fuch  vifible  figns  and  tokens,  as 
fuggeft  and  infer  the  being  of  that  invifible  thinking  prin- 
ciple, or  foul.  Even  fo,  in  the  felf  fame  manner,  it  feems 
to  me,  that  though  I  cannot,  with  eyes  of  flefh,  behold 
the  invifible  God  ;  yet  I  do,  in  the  ftrifteft  fenfe,  behold 
and  perceive,  by  all  my  fenfes,  fuch  figns  and  tokens,  fuch 
efFe£ls  and  operations,  as  fuggeft,  indicate,  and  demon- 
ftrate  an  invifible  God,  as  certainly,  and  with  the  fame 
evidence,  at  leaft,  as  any  other  figns,  perceived  by  fenfe, 
do  fuggeft  to  me  the  exiftence  of  your  foul,  fpirit,  or 
thinking  principle ;  which  I  am  convinced  of  only  by  a 
few  figns  or  effects,  and  the  motions  of  one  fmali  organ- 
ized body :  Whereas  I  do^^  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places. 


[Dial.  IV.j  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  159 

perceive  fenfible  figns,  which  evince  the  being  of  God. 
The  point,  therefore,  doubted  or  denied  by  you  at  the 
beginning,  now  ieems  manifedly  to  follow  from  the  pre- 
mifes.  Throughout  this  whole  enquiry,  have  we  not 
confidered  every  ftep  with  care,  and  made  not  the  leaft 
advance  without  clear  evidence  ?  You  and  I  examined 
and  aiTented  fingly  to  each  foregoing  propofition  :  Whst 
fliall  we  do  then  with  the  conclufion  ?  For  my  part,  if 
you  do  not  help  me  out,  I  find  myfelf  under  an  abfolute 
necefiity  of  admitting  it  for  true.  You  muft,  therefore, 
be  content,  henceforward  to  bear  the  blame,  if  I  live  and 
die  in  the  belief  of  a  God. 

VI.  Alc. — It  muft  be  confeft,  I  do  not  readily  find 
an  anfwer.  There  feems  to  be  fome  foundation  for  what 
you  fay.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  point  was  fo 
clear  as  you  pretend,  I  cannot  conceive  how  fo  many  fa- 
gacious  men,  of  our  feet,  fhould  be  fo  much  in  the  dark, 
as  not  to  know  or  believe  one  fyllable  of  it. 

EuPK. — O  Alc'iphroUy  it  is  not  our  prefent  bufinefs  to 
account  for  the  overfights,  or  vindicate  the  honor  of  thofe 
great  men,  the  free-thinkers,  when  their  very  cxiftence 
is  in  danger  of  being  called  in  queftion. 

Alc. — How  fo  ? 

EupH. — Be  pleafed  to  recollc£l  the  concelTions  you 
have  made,  and  then  Taew  me,  if  the  arguments  for  a 
Deity  be  not  conclufive,  by  what  better  arguments  you 
can  prove  the  exiftence  of  that  thinking  thing,  which  in 
flriclnefs  coriftitutes  the  free-thinker. 

As  loon  as  EttphraJier  had  uttered  thefe  words.  Aid- 
phron  ftcpt  fhort,  and  ftood  in  a  pofture  of  meditation^ 
while  the  reft  of  us  continued  our  walk,  and  took  two  or 
three  turns,  after  which  he  joined  us  again  with  a  fmiling 
countenance,  like  one  who  had  made  fome  difcovery.  I 
have  found,  faid  he,  what  may  clear  up  the  point  in  dif- 
pute,  and  give  Euphranor  entire  fatisfadliion  ;  I  would  fay 


i6o  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

an  argument,  which  will  prove  the  exiftence  of  a  free- 
thinker, the  like  whereof  cannot  be  applied  to  prove  the 
exiftence  of  a  God.  You  muft  know  then,  that  your 
notion  of  our  perceiving  the  exiftence  of  God,  as  certain- 
ly and  immediately  as  we  do  that  of  a  human  perfon,  I 
could  by  no  means  digeft,  though  I  muft  own  it  puzzled 
me,  till  I  had  confidered  the  matter.  At  firft  methought, 
a  particular  ftru61:ure,  fhape,  or  motion,  was  the  moft 
certain  proof  of  a  thinking,  reafonable  foul.  But  a  little 
attention  fatisfied  me,  that  thefe  things  have  no  neceflary 
connexion  with  reafon,  knowledge,  and  wifdom.  And 
that,  allowing  them  to  be  certain  proofs  of  a  living  foul, 
they  cannot  be  fo  of  a  thinking  and  reafonable  one.  Up- 
on fecond  thought^,  therefore,  and  a  minute  examina- 
tion of  this  point,  I  have  found,  that  nothing  fo  much 
convinces  me  of  the  exiftence  of  another  perfon  as  his 
fpeaking  to  me.  It  is  my  hearing  you  talk,  that,  in 
ftri£l:  and  philofophical  truth,  is  to  me  the  beft  argument 
for  your  being.  And  this  is  a  peculiar  argument,  inappli- 
cable to  your'purpofe  :  For  you  will  not,  I  fuppofe,  pre- 
tend that  God  fpeaks  to  man  in  the  fame  clear  and  fenfi- 
ble  manner,  as  one  man  doth  to  another. 

VII.  EuPH. — How  !  is  then  the  impreflion  of  found 
fo  much  more  evident  than  that  of  other  fenfes  ?  Or, 
if  it  be,  is  the  voice  of  man  louder  than  that  of 
thunder  ? 

Alc. — Alas  !  You  miftake  the  point.  What  I  mean 
is  not  the  found  of  fpeech,  merely  as  fuch,  but  the  arbi- 
trary ufe  of  fenfible  figns,  which  have  no  fimilitude  or  ne- 
ceflary connexion  with  the  things  fignified  ;  fo  as  by  the 
oppofite  management  of  them,  to  fuggeft  and  exhibit  to 
my  mind  an  endltfs  variety  of  things ,  difi'ering  in  nature, 
time,  and  place  ;  thereby  informing  me,  entertaining  me, 
and  direding  me  how  to  aft,  not  only  with  regard  to 
things  near  and  prefent,  but  alfo,   with  regard  to  things 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  i6i 

diftant  and  future.  No  matter  whether  thefe  figns  arc 
pronounced  or  written,  whether  they  enter  by  the  eye  or 
the  ear  :  Tliey  have  the  fame  ufe,  and  are  equally  proofs  of 
an  intelligent,  thinking,   defigning  caufe. 

EuPH. — But  what  if  it  ftiould  appear  that  God  really 
fpeaks  to  man  j   ihould  this  content  you  ? 

Alc. — I  am  for  admitting  no  inward  fpeech,  no  holy 
inftin6ls,  or  fuggeflions  of  light  or  fpirit.  All  that,  you 
muft  know,  pafTeth  with  men  of  fenfe  for  nothing.  I£ 
you  do  not  make  it  plain  to  me,  that  God  fpeaks  to  men, 
by  outward  fenfible  figns,  of  fuch  fort,  and  in  fuch  man- 
ner, as  I  have  defined,  you  do  nothing. 

EuPH. — But  if  it  fliall  appear  plainly,  that  God  fpeaks 
to  men  by  the  intervention  and  ufe  of  arbitrary,  outward, 
fenfible  figns,  having  no  refemblance  or  necefiary  connex- 
ion with  the  things  they  ftand  for  and  fuggeft  :  If  it  fhall 
appear,  that  by  innumerable  combinations  of  thefe  figns, 
an  endlefs  variety  of  things  is  difcovered,  and  made  known 
to  us ;  and  that  we  are  thereby  inftrucled,  or  informed, 
in  their  different  natures  ;  that  we  are  taught  and  admon- 
ifhed  what  to  fliun,  and  what  to  purfue  ;  and  are  diredled 
how  to  regulate  our  motions,  and  how  to  z3:  with  refpedt 
to  things  diftant  from  us,  as  well  in  time  as  place ;  will 
this  content  you  ^ 

Alc. — It  is  the  very  thing  I  would  have  you  make  out ; 
for  therein  confifts  the  force,  and  ufe,  and  nature  of  lan- 
guage. 

VIII.  EupH. — Look,  Ahiphrony  do  you  not  fee  the  caf- 
tie  upon  yonder  hill  ? 

Alc. — I  do. 

EuPH. — Is  it  not  at  a  great  diftance  from  you  ? 

Alc— It  is. 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alciphrotiy  is  not  diftance  a  lifie  turn- 
ed end-wife  to  the  eye  ? 

Alc. — Doubtlefs. 

W 


i62  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

EupH. — And  can  a  line,  in  that  fituation,  proje£b  more 
than  one  fingle  point  on  the  bottom  of  the  eye  ? 

Alc. — It  cannot. 

EuPH. — ^Therefore  the  appearance  of  a  long  and  of  a 
fhort  diitance,  is  of  the  fame  magnitude,  or  rather  of  no 
magnitude  at  all,  being,  in  all  cafes,  one  fmgle  point. 

Alc. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPK. — Should  it  not  follow,  from  hence,  that  diftance 
is  not  immediately  perceived  by  the  eye  ? 

Alc — It  (hould. 

EuPH.' — Muft  it  not  then  be  perceived  by  the  media- 
tion of  fome  other  thing  } 

Alc. — It  muft. 

EuPH. — To  difcover  what  this  is ,  let  us  examine  what 
alteration  there  may  be  in  the  appearance  of  the  fame  ob- 
je£l,  placed  at  different  diftances  from  the  eye.  Now  I 
find,  by  experience,  that,  when  an  objeft  is  removed  flill 
farther  and  farther  off,  in  a  dlreft  line  from  the  eye,  its 
vifible  appearance  flill  grows  lefTer  and  fainter  :  And  this 
change  of  appearance,  being  proportional  and  univerfal, 
ieems  to  me  to  be,  that  by  which  we  apprehend  the  various 
degrees  of  diftance. 

Alc — I  have  nothing  to  objecl  to  this. 

EuPH. — But  littlenefs  or  faintnefs,  in  their  own  nature, 
feem  to  have  no  necefTary  connexion  with  greater  length 
of  diftance. 

Alc — I  admit  this  to  be  true. 

EupH.- — Will  it  not  follow  then,  that  they  could  never 
fuggeft  it  bst  from  experience  .<* 

Alc — ^Tt  will. 

EuPH. — That  is  to  fay,  we  perceive  diftance,  not  im- 
">'  diately,  but  by  mediation  of  a  fign,  which  hath  no  like- 
to  it,  or  necefTary  connexion  with  it,  but  only  fuggefts 
1  repeated  experience,  as  words  do  things. 
-. — Hold,  EnphrafDv  :  Now  I  think  of  it,  the  wri- 
ters I.       'ics  tell  us  of  an  angle  made  by  the  two  optic  ax- 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  1^3 

es,  where  they  meet  in  the  vlfible  point  or  object  ;  which 
angle,  the  cbtufer  it  is,  the  nearer  it  (hews  the  obje£l  to  be, 
and  by  how  much  the  acuter,  by  fo  much  the  farther  ofF; 
and  this  from  a  neceiTary  demonftrable  connexion. 

EuPH. — The  mind  then  finds  out  the  diftance  of  things 
by  geometry. 

Alc It  doth. 

EuPH. — Should  it  not  follow,  therefore,  that  nobody 
could  fee,  but  thofe  who  had  learned  geometry,  and  knew 
fomething  of  lines    and  angles  ? 

Alc. — There  is  a  fort  of  natural  geometry,  which  is 
got  without  learning. 

EuPH. — Pray  inform  me,  Alciphron^  in  order  to  frame 
a  proof  of  any  kind,  or  deduce  one  point  from  another, 
is  it  not  neceffary,  that  I  perceive  the  connexion  of  the 
terms  in  the  premifes,  and  the  connexion  of  the  premifes 
with  the  conclufion  :  And,  in  general,  to  know  one  thing 
by  means  of  another,  muft  I  not  firft  know  that  other 
thing }  when  I  perceive  your  meaning  by  your  words, 
muft  I  not  firft  perceive  the  words  themfelves  ?  and  muft 
I  not  know  the  premifes,  before  I  infer  the  conclufion  ? 

Alc. — All  this  is  true. 

EupH. — Whoever,  therefore,  collects  a  nearer  diftance 
from  a  wider  angle,  or  a  farther  diftance  from  an  acuter 
angle,  muft  firft  perceive  the  angles  themfelves.  And  he 
who  doth  not  perceive  tiiofe  angles,  can  infer  nothing  from 
them.     Is  it  fo  or  not  ? 

Alc. — It  is  as  you  fay. 

EuPH. — Alk  now  the  firft  man  you  meet,  whether  he 
perceives  or  knows  any  thing  of  thofe  optic  angles  ?  or 
whether  he  ever  thinks  about  them,  or  makes  any  inferen- 
ces from  them,  either  by  natural  or  artificial  geometry  t 
What  anfwer  do  you  think  he  would  make  ? 

Alc. — ^To  fpeak  the  truth,  I  believe  his  anfwer  would 
be,  that  he  knew  nothing  of  thofe  matters. 


i64  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

EuPH. — It  cannot  therefore  be,  that  men  judge  of  dif- 
tance  by  angles  :  Nor  confequently  can  there  be  any  force 
in  the  argument  you  drew  from  thence,  to  prove  that  dif- 
tance  is  perceived  by  means  of  fomething  which  hath  a 
necelTary  connexion  with  it. 

Alc. — I  agree  with  you. 

IX.  EuPH. — To  me  it  feems,  that  a  man  may  know 
whether  he  perceives  a  thing  or  no  :  and  if  he  perceives  it, 
whether  it  be  immediately,  or  mediately  :  and  if  mediate- 
ly, whether  by  means  of  fomething  like,  or  unlike,  necef- 
farily,  or  arbitrarily  connected  with  it. 

Alc. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPH. — And  is  it  not  certain,  that  diftance  is  perceived 
only  by  experience,  if  it  be  neither  perceived  immediately 
by  itfelf,  nor  by  means  of  any  image,  nor  of  any  lines  and 
angles,  which  are  like  it,  or  have  a  neceflary  connexion 
with  it  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — Doth  it  not  feem  to  follow,  from  what  hath 
been  faid  and  allowed  by  you,  that  before  all  experience  a 
man  would  not  imagine,  the  things  he  faw  were  at  any 
diftance  from  him  ? 

Alc. — How  !  let  me  fee. 

EuPH. — The  littlenefs  or  faintnefs  of  appearance,  or 
any  other  idea  or  fenfation,  not  neceffarily  connected  with, 
or  refembling  diftance,  can  no  more  fuggeft  different  de- 
grees of  diftance,  or  any  diftance  at  all,  to  the  mind,  which 
hath  not  experienced  a  connexion  of  the  things  fignifying 
and  fignified,  than  words  can  fuggeft  notions  before  a 
man  hath  learned  the  language. 

Alc. — I  allow  this  to  be  true. 

EuPH. — Will  it  not  thence  follow,  that  a  man  born 
blind,  and  made  to  fee,  would,  upon  firft  receiving  his 
fight,  take  the  things  he  faw,  not  to  be  at  any  diftance 
from  him,  but  in  his  eye,  or  rather  in  his  mind  ? 


[f)iAL.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  165 

Alc. — I  muft  own  it  feem  fo  :  And  yet,  on  the  other 
hand,  I  can  hardly  perfuade  myfelf,  that,  if  I  were  in  fuch 
a  flate,  I  (hould  think  thofe  objefts,  which  I  now  fee  at 
fo  great  a  diftance,  to  be  at  no  diftance  at  alL 

EuPH. — It  feems  then,  that  you  now  think  the  obje£l:s 
of  fight  are  at  a  diftance  from  you. 

Alc — Doubtlefs  I  do.  Can  any  one  queftion  but  yon- 
der caftle  is  at  a  great  diftance  .'* 

EuPH.- — Teil  me,  Alc'iphron^  can  you  difcern  the  doors, 
windows,  and  battlements  of  that  fame  caftle  } 

Alc. — I  cannot.  At  this  diftance  it  feems  only  a 
fmall  round  tower. 

EuPH. — But  I,  who  have  been  at  it,  know  that  it  is 
no  fmall  round  tower,  but  a  large  fquare  building,  with 
battlements  and  turrets,   which  it  feems  you  do  not  fee. 

Alc. — What  will  you  infer  from  thence  } 

EupH. — I  would  infer,  that  the  very  obje£t,  which 
you  ftriiStly  and  properly  perceive  by  fight,  is  not  that 
thing  which  is  feveral  miles  diftant. 

Alc— Why  fo  ? 

EuPH. — Becaufe  a  little  round  objeft  is  one  thing,  and 
a  great  fquare  objeci:  is  another.      Is  it  not  ? 

Alc — I  cannot  deny  it. 

EupHo — Tell  me,  is  not  the  vifible  appearance  alone 
the  proper  objetl  of  fight  } 

Alc — It  is.  What  think  you  now  (faid  Euphranory 
pointing  towards  the  heavens)  of  the  vifible  appearance  of 
yonder  planet  ?  Is  it  not  a  round  luminous  fiat,  not  big- 
ger than  a  fixpence  ? 

Alc — What  then  ? 

EupH. — Tell  me  then,  what  you  think  of  the  planet 
itfelf.  Do  you  not  conceive  it  to  be  a  vaft  opaque  globe, 
with  feveral  unequal  rifings  and  vallies  ^ 

Alc — I  do. 

EupH. — How  can  you,  therefore  conclude,  that  the 
proper  object  of  your  fight  exifts  at  a  diftance  ^ 


i66  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

Alc. — I  confefs  I  know  not. 

EuPH. — For  your  farther  conviction,  do  but  confider 
that  crimfon  cloud.  Think  you,  that  if  you  were  in  the 
very  place  where  it  is,  you  would  perceive  any  thing  like 
what  you  now  fee  ? 

Alc. — By  no  means.  I  fliould  perceive  only  a  dark  mift. 

EupH. — Is  it  not  plain,  therefore,  that  neither  the 
caftle,  the  planet,  nor  the  cloud,  which  you  fee  here,  are 
thofe  real  ones,  which  you  fuppofe  exift  at  a  diftance  ? 

X.  Alc. — ^What  am  I  to  think  then  ?  Do  we  fee  any 
thing  at  all,  or  is  it  altogether  fancy  and  illufion  ? 

EuPH. — Upon  the  whole,  it  feems  the  proper  objects 
of  fight  are  light  and  colours,  with  their  feveral  fhades 
and  degrees ;  all  which,  being  infinitely  diverfified  and 
combined,  form  a  language  wonderfully  adapted  to  fug- 
geft  and  exhibit  to  us  the  diftances,  figures,  fituations, 
dimenfions,  and  various  qualities  of  tangible  objeCts  :  not 
by  fimilitude,  nor  yet  by  inference  of  neceflTary  connexion, 
but  by  the  arbitrary  impofition  of  Providence :  juft  as 
words  fugged  the  things  fignified  by  them. 

Alc. — How  !  Do  we  not,  ftri6tly  fpeaklng,  perceive 
by  fight  fuch  things  as  trees,  houfes,  men,  rivers,  and 
the  like  ? 

EuPH. — We  do,  indeed,  perceive  or  apprehend  thofc 
things  by  the  faculty  of  fight.  But  will  it  follow  from 
thence,  that  they  are  the  proper  and  immediate  objeds  of 
fight,  any  more  than  that  all  thofe  things  are  the  proper 
and  immediate  objects  of  hearing,  which  are  fignified  by 
the  help  of  words,  or  founds  ? 

Alc — You  would  have  us  think  then,  that  light, 
fhades,  and  colours,  varioufly  combined,  anfwer  to  the 
feveral  articulations  of  found  in  language  ;  and  that,  by 
means  thereof,  all  forts  of  objects  are  fuggefted  to  the 
mind  through  the  eye,  in  the  fame  manner  as  they  arc 
fuggefted,  by  words  or  founds,  through  the  ear :    that  is. 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  167 

neither  from  neceflary  deduftion  to  the  judgment,  nor 
from  fimilitude  to  the  fancy,  but  purely  and  folely  from 
experience,    cuftom,  and  habit. 

EuPH. — I  would  not  have  you  think  any  thing,  more 
than  the  nature  of  things  obligeth  you  to  think,  nor  fub- 
mit  in  the  lead  to  my  judgment,  but  only  to  the  force  of 
truth  ;  which  is  an  impofition  that  I  fuppofe  the  freed 
thinkers  will  not  pretend  to  be  exempt  from. 

Alc. — You  have  led  m.e,  it  feems,  ftep  by  ftep,  till 
I  am  got  I  know  not  where.  But  I  fhali  try  to  get  out 
again,  if  not  by  the  way  I  came,  yet  by  fome  other  of 
my  own  finding.  Here  Alciphroriy  having  made  a  fliort 
paufc;  proceeded  as  follows  : 

XI.  Anfwer  me,  Euphranor^  fhould  it  not  follow, 
from  thefe  principles,  that  a  man,  born  blind,  and  made 
to  fee,  would  at  firfk  fight  not  only  not  perceive  their  dif- 
tance,  but  alfo  not  fo  much  as  know  the  very  things 
^themfelves  which  he  faw,  for  inftance,  men  or  trees  I 
which  furely  to  fupport  muft  be  abfurd. 

EupH. — I  grant,  in  confequence  of  thofe  principles, 
which  both  you  and  I  have  admitted,  that  fuch  a  one 
would  never  think  of  men,  trees,  or  any  other  obje£^s 
that  he  had  been  accuftomed  to  perceive  by  touch,  upon 
having  his  mind  filled  with  new  fenfations  of  light  and 
colours,  whofe  various  combinations  he  doth  not  yet  un- 
derftand,  or  know  the  meaning  of  ;  no  more  than  a  Chi- 
nefe^  upon  firft  hearing  the  words  man  and  tree,  would 
think  of  the  things  fignified  by  them.  In  both  cafes,  there 
muft  be  time  and  experience,  by  repeated  a^ts,  to  ac  quire 
a  habit  of  knowing  the  connexion  between  the  figns  and 
things  fignified  ;  that  is  to  fay,  of  underitanding  the  lan- 
guage, whether  of  the  eyes  or  of  the  ears.  And  I  con- 
ceive no  abfurdity  in  this. 

Alc. — I  fee,  therefore,  in  ftritt  philofophical  truth, 
that  rock  only  in  the  fame  fenfe  that  I  may  be  faid  to  hear 
it,  when  the  word  rock  is  pronounced. 


i6S  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

EuPH. — In  the  very  fame. 

Alc. — How  comes  it  to  pafs  then,  that  every  one  fhall 
fay  he  fees,  for  inftance,  a  rock,  or  a  houfe,  when  thofe 
things  are  before  his  eyes  ;  but  no  body  will  fay,  he  hears 
a  rock,  or  a  houfe,  but  only  the  words  or  founds  them- 
felves,  by  which  thofe  things  are  faid  to  be  fignified  or 
fuggeftcd,  but  not  heard  ?  Befides,  if  vifion  be  only  a 
language,  fpeaking  to  the  eyes,  it  may  be  alked,  "When 
did  men  learn  this  language  ?  To  acquire  the  knowledge 
of  fo  many  figns,  as  go  to  the  making  up  a  language,  is  a 
work  of  fome  difficulty.  But  will  any  man  fay,  he  hath 
fpent  time,  or  been  at  pains,  to  learn  this  language  of 
vifion  ? 

EuPH. — No  wonder,  we  cannot  afPign  a  time  beyond 
our  remoteft  memory.  If  we  have  been  all  pra6tifing  this 
language,  ever  fince  our  firft  entrance  into  the  world  ; 
if  the  Author  of  nature  conftantly  fpeaks  to  the  eyes  of 
all  mankind,  even  in  their  earlieft  infancy,  whenever  the 
eyes  are  open  in  the  light,  whether  alone  or  in  company  ; 
It  doth  not  feem  to  me  at  all  ftrange,  that  men  iliould  not 
be  aware  they  had  ever  learned  a  language,  begun  fo  ear- 
ly, and  pra£lifed  fo  conftantly,  as  this  of  vifion.  And, 
if  we  alfo  confider,  that  it  is  the  fame  throughout  the 
whole  world,  and  not,  like  other  languages,  differing  in 
different  places  ;  it  will  not  feem  unaccountable,  that  men 
fhould  miftake  the  connexion  between  the  proper  obje6):s 
of  fight,  and  the  things  fignified  by  them,  to  be  founded 
in  neceffary  relation,  or  likenefs  :  Or,  that  they  fhould 
even  take  them  for  the  fame  things.  Hence  it  feems  eafy 
to  conceive,  why  men,  who  do  not  think,  fhould  con- 
found, in  this  language  of  vifion,  the  figns  with  the  things 
fignified,  otherwife  than  they  are  wont  to  do,  in  the  vari- 
ous particular  languages,  formed  by  the  feveral  nations 
of  men. 

XII.  It  may  be  alfo  worth  while  to  obferve,  that  figns 
being  little  confidered  in  themfelves,  or  for  their  own  fake, 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  169 

but  only  in  their  relative  capacity,  and  for  the  fake  of 
ihofe  things  whereof  they  are  figns,  it  comes  to  pafs,  that 
the  mind  often  overlooks  them,  fo  as  to  carry  its  attention 
immediately  on  to  the  things  fignified.  Thus,  for  exam- 
ple, in  reading,  we  run  over  the  characters  with  the  flight- 
eft  regard,  and  pafs  on  to  the  meaning.  Hence  it  is  fre- 
quent for  men  to  fay,  they  fee  words,  and  notions,  and 
things,  in  reading  a  book  :  whereas,  in  ftriClnefs,  they  fee 
only  the  chara£ters,  which  fuggeft  words,  notions,  and 
things.  And,  by  parity  of  reafon,  may  we  not  fuppofe, 
that  men,  not  refting  in,  but  overlooking  the  immediate 
and  proper  obje£ts  of  fight,  as  in  their  own  nature  of  fmall 
moment,  carry  their  attention  onward  to  the  very  thing 
fignified,  and  talk  as  if  they  faw  the  fecondary  obje£i:s  ? 
which,  in  truth  and  ftriclnefs,  are  not  feen,  but  only  fug- 
gefted  and  apprehended  by  means  of  the  proper  obje£ts  of 
fight,  which  alone  are  feen. 

Alc. — To  fpeak  my  mind  freely,  this  differtatlon  grows 
tedious,  and  runs  into  points  too  dry  and  minute  for  a 
gentleman's  attention. 

I  thought,  faid  Crito,  we  had  been  told,  the  Minute 
Philofophers  loved  to  confider  things  clofely  and  minutely. 

Alc. — That  is  true,  but  in  fo  polite  an  age,  who  would 
be  a  mere  philofopher  ?  There  is  a  certain  fcholaftic  accu- 
racy, which  ill  fuits  the  freedom  and  eafe  of  a  well-bred 
man.  But,  to  cut  fhort  this  chicane,  I  propound  it  fairly 
to  your  own  confcience,  whether  you  really  think  that 
God  himfelf  fpeaks  every  day,  and  in  every  place,  to  the 
eyes  of  all  men  ? 

EupH. — ^That  is  really,  and  in  truth,  my  opinion  :  and 
it  fhould  be  yours  too,  if  you  are  confident  with  yourfelf, 
and  abide  by  your  own  definition  of  language.  Since  you 
cannot  deny,  that  the  great  mover  and  author  of  nature 
conftantly  explaineth  himfelf  to  the  eyes  of  men,  by  the 
fenfible  intervention  of  arbitrary  figns,  which  have  no  fimil- 
itude,  or  connexion,  with  the  things  fignified  5  fo  as  by 

X 


I70  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

compounding  and  difpofing  them,  to  fugged  and  exhibit 
an  endlefs  variety  of  objects,  differing  in  nature,  time,  and 
place,  thereby  informing  and  dire6ling  men  how  to  a£l 
with  refpe£l  to  things  diftant  and  future,  as  well  as  near 
and  prefent.  In  confequence,  I  fay,  of  your  own  fenti- 
ments  and  conceffions,  you  have  as  much  reafon  to  think, 
the  Univerfal  Agent,  or  God,  fpeaks  to  your  eyes,  as  you 
can  have  for  thinking  any  particular  perfon  fpeaks  to  your 
ears. 

Alc. — I  cannot  help  thinking,  that  fome  fallacy  runs 
throughout  this  whole  ratiocination,  though  perhaps  I  may 
not  readily  point  it  out.  It  feems  to  me,  that  every  other 
fenfe  may  as  well  be  deemed  a  language  as  that  of  vifion. 
Smells  and  tafte,  for  inftance,  are  iigns  that  inform  us  of 
other  quaUties,  to  which  they  have  neither  likenefs  nor 
neceflary  connexion. 

EuPH. — That  they  are  figns  is  certain,  as  alfo  that  lan- 
guage, and  all  other  figns,  agree  in  the  general  nature  of 
lign,  or  fo  far  forth  as  figns.  But  it  is  as  certain  that  all 
figns  are  not  language  ;  not  even  all  fignificant  founds, 
fuch  as  the  natural  cries  of  anim.als,  or  the  inarticulate 
founds  and  interje6^ions  of  men.  It  is  the  articulation, 
combination,  variety,  copioufnefs,  extenfive  and  general 
ufe,  and  eafy  application  of  figns  (all  which  are  commonly 
found  in  vifion)  that  conftitute  the  true  nature  of  language. 
Other  fenfes  may  indeed  furnifli  figns  ;  and  yet  thofc  figns 
have  no  more  right  than  inarticulate  founds  to  be  thought 
a  language. 

Alc. — -Hold  !  let  me  fee  !  In  language,  the  figns  arc 
arbitrary,  are  they  not  ? 

EuPR.— ^They  are. 

Alc— And  confequently,  they  do  not  always  fuggeft 
real  matters  of  fad.  ^  Whereas,  this  natural  language,  as 
you  call  it,  or  thefe  vifible  figns,  do  always  fuggeft  things 
in  the  fame  uniform  way,  and  have  the  fame  conftant  reg- 
ular connexion  with  matters  of   hd. :  whence  it  ihould 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER  J71 

{eem,  the  connexion  was  neceflary,  and  therefore,  accord- 
ing to  the  definition  premifed,  it  can  be  no  language. 
How  do  you  folve  this  objection  ? 

EuPH. — You  may  folve  it  yourfelf,  by  the  help  of  a 
pi£lure,  or  looking-glafs. 

Alc. — You  are  in  the  right.  I  fee  there  is  nothing  in 
it.  I  know  not  what  elfe  to  fay  to  this  opinion  more,  than 
that  it  is  fo  odd  and  contrary  to  my  way  of  thinking,  that 
I  fhall  never  affent  to  it. 

XIII.  EuPH. — Be  pleafed  to  recolle^l  your  own  lec- 
tures upon  prejudice,  and  apply  them  in  the  prefent  cafe. 
Perhaps  they  may  help  you  to  follow  where  reafon  leads, 
and  to  fufpecl  notions  which  are  ftrongly  riveted,  without 
having  been  ever  examined. 

Alc— —I  difdain  the  fufpicion  of  prejudice.  And  I  do 
not  fpeak  only  for  myfelf.  I  know  a  club  of  moil  ingen- 
ious men,  the  freeft  from  prejudice  of  any  men  alive, 
who  abhor  the  notion  of  a  God,  and  I  doubt  not,  would 
be  very  able  to  untie  this  knot.  Upon  which  words  of 
Alciphron^  I,  who  had  acted  the  part  of  an  indifferent  ftan- 
der-by  ,  obferved  to  him,  that  it  mifbecame  his  character, 
and  repeated  profeffions,  to  own  an  attachment  to  the 
judgment,  or  build  upon  the  prefumed  abilities  of  other 
men,  how  ingenious  foever :  and  that  this  proceeding 
might  encourage  his  adverfarles  to  have  recourfe  to  author- 
ity, in  which,  perhaps,  they  would  find  their  account  more 
than  he. 

Oh  !  faid  CritOy  I  have  often  obferved  the  conduct  of 
Minute  Philofophers.  When  one  of  them  has  got  a  ring 
of  difciples  round  him,  his  method  is  to  exclaim  againft 
prejudice,  and  recommend  thinking  and  reafoning,  giving 
to  underftand  that  himfelf  is  a  man  of  deep  refearches  and 
clofe  argument,  one  who  examines  impartially,  and  con- 
cludes warily.  The  fame  man,  in  other  company,  if  bechance 


172  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.l 

to  be  prcfled  with  reafon,  fhall  laugh  at  logic,  and  aflume 
the  lazy  fupine  airs  of  a  fine  gentleman,  a  wit,  a  raillcur, 
to  avoid  the  drincfs  of  a  regular  and  exaft  inquiry.  This 
double  face  of  the  Minute  Philofopher  is  of  no  fmall  ufe 
to  propagate  and  maintain  his  notions.  Though  to  me  it 
feems  a  plain  cafe,  that  if  a  fine  gentleman  will  fhake  off 
authority,  and  appeal  from  religion  to  reafon,  unto  reafon 
he  muft  go  :  And  if  he  cannot  go  without  leading-ftrings, 
furely  he  had  better  be  led  by  the  authority  of  the  public, 
than  by  that  of  any  knot  of  Minute  Philofophers. 

Alc. — Gentlemen,  this  difcourfe  is  very  irkfome  and 
needlefs.  For  my  part,  I  am  a  friend  to  enquiry.  I  am 
willing  reafon  (liould  have  its  full  and  free  fcope.  I  build 
on  no  man's  authority.  I  have  no  intereft  in  denying  a 
God.  Any  man  may  believe,  or  not  believe,  a  God,  as  he 
pleafes,  for  me.  But  after  all,  Euphranor  muft  allow  me 
to  ftare  a  little  at  his  conclufions. 

EuPH. — The  conclufions  are  yours  as  much  as  mine, 
for  you  were  led  to  them  by  your  own  conceflions. 

XIV. — You,  it  feems,  ftare  to  find,  that  God  is  not  far 
from  every  one  of  us ;  and  that  in  him  we  live  and  move 
and  have  our  being.  You,  who,  in  the  beginning  of  this 
morning's  conference,  thought  it  ftrange,  that  God  fliould 
leave  himfelf  without  a  witnefs,  do  now  think  it  ftrange  the 
witnefs  ftiould  be  fo  full  and  clear  ? 

Alc. — I  muft  own  I  do.  I  was  aware,  indeed,  of  a 
certain  metaphyfical  hypothefis,  of  our  feeing  all  things  in 
God,  by  the  union  of  the  human  foul  with  intelligible  fub- 
ftance  of  the  Deity,  which  neither  I,  nor  any  one  elfe  could 
make  fenfe  of.  But  I  never  imagined  it  could  be  pretend- 
ed, that  we  faw  God  with  our  flelhly  eyes,  as  plain  as  we 
fee  any  human  perfon  whatfoever,  and  that  he  daily  fpeaks 
to  our  fenfes  In  a  manlfeft  and  clear  dialedl:. 

Cri. — As  for  that  metaphyfical  hypothefis,  I  can  make 
no  more  of  it  than  you.     But  I  think  it  plain,  this  optic 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  175 

language  hath  a  neceflary  connexion  with  knowledge,  wif- 
dom,  and  goodnefs.  It  is  equivalent  to  a  conftant  creation, 
betokening  an  immediate  a£l  of  power  and  providence.  It 
cannot  be  accounted  for  by  mechanical  principles,  by  at- 
oms, attractions,  or  effluvia.  The  inftantaneous  produc- 
tion and  reprodudlion  of  fo  many  figns  combined,  dilTolved, 
tranfpofed,  diverfified,  and  adapted  to  fuch  an  endlefs  va- 
riety of  purpofes,  ever  (liifting  with  the  cccafions,  and  fuit- 
cd  to  them,  being  utterly  inexplicable  and  unaccountable 
by  the  laws  of  motion,  by  chance,  by  fate,  or  the  like  blind 
principles,  doth  fet  forth  and  teftify  the  immediate  opera- 
tion of  a  Spirit  or  thinking  Being  :  and  not  merely  of  a 
Spirit,  which  every  motion  or  gravitation  may  pofiibly  in- 
fer, but  of  one  wife,  good,  and  provident  Spirit,  who  di- 
rects, and  rules,  and  governs  the  world.  Some  philofo- 
phers,  being  convinced  of  the  wifdom  and  power  of  the 
Creator,  from  the  make  and  contrivance  of  organized  bo- 
dies, and  orderly  fyftem  of  the  world,  did  neverthelefs  im- 
agine, that  he  left  this  fyftem,  with  all  its  parts  and  con- 
tents, well  adjufted  and  put  in  motion,  as  an  artift  leaves 
a  clock,  to  go  thenceforward,  of  itfelf,  for  a  certain  period. 
But  this  vifual  language  proves,  not  a  Creator  merely,  but 
a  provident  Governor,  actually  and  intimately  prefent,  and 
attentive  to  all  our  interefts  and  motions,  who  watches 
over  our  conduct,  and  takes  care  of  our  minuteft  actions 
and  defigns,  throughout  the  whole  courfe  of  our  lives,  in- 
forming, admoniftiing,  and  dire£ting  inceflantly,  in  a  moft 
evident  and  fenfible  manner.      This  is  truly  wonderful. 

EuPH. — And  is  it  not  fo,  that  men  fhould  be  encompaf- 
fed  by  fuch  a  wonder,  without  refledting  on  it  ? 

XV.  Something  there  is  of  divine  and  admirable  in 
this  language,  addrefied  to  our  eyes,  that  may  well  awa- 
ken the  mind,  and  deferves  its  utmoft  attention  :  it  is 
learned  with  fo  little  pains ;  it  expreileth  the  differences 


174  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

of  things  (o  clearly  and  aptly  ;  it  inftru£ls  with  fuch  fa- 
cility and  difpatch,  by  one  glance  of  the  eye  conveying  a 
greater  variety  of  advices,  and  a  more  dillin6t  knowledge  of 
things,  than  could  be  got  by  a  difcourfe  of  feveral  hours. 
And,  while  it  informs,  it  amufes  and  entertains  the  mind, 
with  fuch  fingular  pleafure  and  delight.  It  is  of  fuch  ex- 
cellent ufe,  in  giving  a  ftability  and  permanency  to  hu- 
man difcourfe,  in  recording  founds,  and  bellowing  life 
on  dead  languages,  enabling  us  to  converfe  with  men  of 
remote  ages  and  countries.  And  it  anfwers  fo  appofitc 
to  the  ufes  and  neceflities  of  mankind,  informing  us  more 
diftin£lly  of  thofe  objedls,  whofe  nearnefs  and  magni- 
tude qualify  them  to  be  of  greatell  detriment  or  benefit 
to  our  bodies,  and  lefs  exa£l:ly,  in  proportion  as  their 
littlenefs,  or  diftance,  make  them  of  lefs  concern  to  us. 

Alc.-— And  yet  thefe  ftrange  things  afFe6t  men  but 
little. 

EuPH. — But  they  are  not  ftrange,  they  are  familiar, 
and  that  makes  them  to  be  overlooked.  Things  which 
rarely  happen  ftrike  ;  whereas  frequency  leflens  the  ad- 
miration of  things,  though  in  themfelves  ever  fo  admira*- 
ble.  Hence  a  common  man,  who  is  not  ufed  to  think 
and  make  reflexions,  would  probably  be  more  convinced 
of  the  being  of  a  God,  by  one  fingle  fentence  heard  once 
in  his  life  from  the  fky,  than  by  all  the  experience  he  has 
had  of  this  vifual  language,  contrived  with  fuch  exqui- 
fite  fkill,  fo  conftantly  addreflfed  to  his  eyes,  and  fo  plain- 
ly declaring  the  nearnefs,  wifdom,  and  providence  of 
Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do. 

Alc. — After  all,  I  cannot  fatisfy  myfelf,  how  men 
fhould  be  fo  little  furprifed,  or  amazed,  about  this  vifive 
feculty,  if  it  was  really  of  a  nature  fo  furprifmg  and  ama- 
zing. 

EupH. — But  let  us  fuppofe  a  nation  of  men  blind  from 
their  infancy,  among  v/hom  a  ftranger  arrives,  the  only 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  175 

man  who  can  fee  in  all  the  country  :  Let  us  fuppofe  this 
ftr anger  travelling  with  fome  of  the  natives,  and  that  one 
while  he  foretells  to  them,  that,  in  cafe  they  walk  ftrait 
forward,  in  half  an  hour  they  (hall  meet  men,  or  cattle, 
or  come  to  a  houfe ;  that,  if  they  turn  to  the  right,  and 
proceed,  they  (hall,  in  a  few  minutes,  be  in  danger  of 
falling  down  a  precipice  ;  that,  fhaping  their  courfe  to 
the  left,  they  .will,  in  fuch  a  time,  arrive  at  a  river,  a 
wood,  or  a  mountain.  What  think  you  ?  Mufl  they  not 
be  infinitely  furprifed,  that  one,  who  had  never  been  in 
their  country  before,  fhould  know  it  fo  much  better  than 
themfelves  ?  And  would  not  thofe  predictions  feem  to 
them  as  unaccountable  and  incredible,  as  prophefy  to  a 
Minute  Philofopher  ? 

Alc. — I  cannot  deny  it. 

EuPH. — But  it  feems  to  require  intenfe  thought,  to  be 
able  to  unravel  a  prejudice  that  has  been  fo  long  forming, 
to  get  over  the  vulgar  error  of  ideas  common  to  both 
fenfes,  and  fo  to  diftinguifh  between  the  objects  of  fight 
and  touch,  which  have  grown  (if  I  may  fo  fay)  blended 
together  in  our  fancy,  as  to  be  able  to  fuppofe  ourfelves 
exactly  in  the  ftate,  that  one  of  thofe  men  would  be  in, 
if  he  were  made  to  fee.  And  yet  this  I  believe  is  pofli- 
ble,  and  might  feem  worth  the  pains  of  a  little  thinking, 
efpecially  to  thofe  men  whofe  proper  employment  and 
profelTion  it  is  to  think,  and  unravel  prejudices,  and  con- 
fute miftakes.  I  frankly  own  I  cannot  find  my  way 
out  of  this  maze,  and  fhould  gladly  be  fet  right  by  thofe 
jWho  fee  better  than  myfelf. 

Cri. — ^The  purfuing  this  fubje£l:  in  their  ov/n  thoughts 
would  poflibly  open  a  new  fcene  to  thofe  fpeculative  gen- 
tlemen of  the  Minute  Philofophy.  It  puts  me  in  mind  of 
a  paflage  in  the  Pfalmift,  where  he  reprefents  God  to  be 
covered  with  light,  as  with  a  garment,  and  would,  me- 
thinks,  be  no  ill  comment  on  that  ancient  notion  of  fome 


176  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

eaftern  fages.    That  God  had  light  for  his  body,  and  truth 
for  his  foul. 

This  converfation  lafted  till  a  fervant  came  to  tell  us 
the  tea  was  ready  :  upon  which  we  walked  in,  and  found 
Lyjicles  at  the  tea-table. 

XVI.  As  foon  as  we  fat  down,  I  am  glad,  faid  Aid- 
phron,  that  I  have  here  found  my  fecond,  a  frefh  man,  to 
maintain  our  common  caufe,  which,  I  doubt,  Lyftcks 
will  think  hath  fuffered  by  his  abfence. 

Lys.-— Why  fo  ? 

Alc. — I  have  been  drawn  into  fome  concefiions  you 
won't  like, 

Lys. — Let  me  know  what  they  are. 

Alc. — Why,  that  there  is  fuch  a  thing  as  a  God,  and 
that  his  exiftencc  is  very  certain. 

Lys. — Blefs  me  !  How  came  you  to  entertain  fo  wild 
a  notion  ? 

Alc. — ^You  know  we  profefs  to  follow  reafon  wherev- 
er it  leads.      And,  in  fhort,  I  have  been  reafoned  into  it. 

Lys. — Reafoned  !  You  fhould  fay,  amufed  with  words, 
bewildered  with  fophillry. 

EuPH. — Have  you  a  mind  to  hear  the  fame  reafoning 
that  led  Alciphron  and  me,  ftep  by  flep,  that  we  may  ex- 
amine whether  it  be  fophiftry  or  no  ? 

Lys — As  to  that,  I  am  very  eafy.  I  guefs  all  that 
can  be  faid  on  that  head.  It  fhall  be  my  bufinefs  to  help 
my  friend  out,  whatever  arguments  drew  him  in. 

EuPH. — Will  you  admit  the  premifes,  and  deny  the 
conclufions  ? 

Lys. — What  if  I  admit  the  conclufion  ? 

EuPH. — How  !  will  you  grant  there  is  a  God  ? 

Lys. — Perhaps  I  may. 

EuPH. — Then  we  are  agreed. 

Lys — :Perhaps  not. 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  J77 

EuPH. — O  L^icles  !  you  are  a  fubtle  adverfary,  I 
know  not  what  you  would  be  at. 

Lys. — You  mud  know  then,  that,  at  bottom,  the  be« 
j.ng  of  God  is  a  point,  in  itfelf,  of  fmall  confequence,  and 
a  man  may  make  this  conceffion  v/ithout  yielding  much. 
The  great  point  is,  what  fenfe  the  word  God  is  to  be  ta- 
ken in.  The  very  Epicureans  allowed  the  being  of  gods, 
but  then  they  were  indolent  gods,  unconcerned  with  hu- 
man affairs.  Hobbes  allowed  a  corporeal  god  ;  and  Spino' 
fa  held  the  univerfe  to  be  god.  And  yet  nobody  doubts 
they  were  flanch  free-thinkers.  I  could  wi(h,  indeed, 
the  word  god  were  quite  omitted,  becaufe,  in  mod  minds, 
it  is  coupled  with  a  fort  of  fuperftitious  awe,  the  very 
root  of  all  religion.  I  fhall  not,  neverthelefs,  be  much 
difturbed,  though  the  name  be  retained,  and  the  being 
of  God  allowed  in  any  fenfe,  but  in  that  of  a  Mind,  which 
knows  all  things,  and  beholds  human  adtions,  like  fome 
judge,  or  magiftrate,  with  infinite  obfervation  and  intelli- 
gence. The  belief  of  a  God,  in  this  fenfe,  fills  a  man's 
mind  with  fcruples,  lays  him  under  conftraints,  and  im- 
bitters  his  very  being  :  But,  in  another  fenfe,  it  may  be 
attended  with  no  great  ill  confequence.  This,  I  know, 
was  the  opinion  of  our  greau  Diagorasy  who  told  me  he 
would  never  have  been  at  the  pains  to  find  out  a  demon - 
ftration  that  there  was  no  God,  if  the  received  notion  o£ 
God  had  been  the  fame  with  that  of  fome  fathers  and 
fchoolmen. 

EupH. — Pray  what  was  that  ? 

XVII.  Lys. — You  muft  know,  Diagoras,  a  man  of 
much  reading  and  inquiry,  had  difcovered,  that  once  upon 
a  time  the  moft  profound  and  fpeculative  divines,  finding 
it  impoffible  to  reconcile  the  attributes  of  God,  taken  in 
the  common  fenfe,  or  in  any  known  fenfe,  with  human 
reafon,  and  the  appearances  of  things,  taught,  that  th« 

Y 


178  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV,] 

words  knowledge,  wifdom,  goodnefs,  and  fuch  like,  when 
fpoken  of  the  Deity,  muft  be  underftood  in  a  quite  differ- 
ent fenfe  from  what  they  fignify  in  the  vulgar  acceptation, 
or  from  any  thing  that  we  can  form  a  notion  of,  or  con- 
ceive. Hence,  whatever  objections  might  be  made  againfl 
the  attributes  of  God,  they  eafily  folved,  by  denying  thofe 
attributes  belonged  to  God,  in  this  or  that,  or  any  known 
particular  fenfe  or  notion  ;  which  was  the  fame  thing  as 
to  deny  they  belonged  to  him  at  all.  And  thus  denying 
the  attributes  of  God,  they,  in  effe£l:,  denied  his  being,, 
though  perhaps  they  were  not  aware  of  it.  Suppofe,  for 
inftance,  a  man  fhould  object  that  future  contingencies 
were  inconfiftent  with  the  fore-knowledge  of  God,  becaufe 
it  is  repugnant,  that  certain  knowledge  fhould  be  of  an  un- 
certain thing  :  it  was  a  ready  and  eafy  anfwer  to  fay,  that 
this  may  be  true,  with  Tefpe£t  to  knowledge,  taken  in  the 
common  fenfe,  or  in  any  fenfe  that  we  can  polTibly  form 
any  notion  of :  but  that  there  would  not  appear  the  fame 
inconfiftency,  between  the  contingent  nature  of  things, 
and  divine  fore  knowledge,  taken  to  fignify  fomewhat  that 
we  know  nothing  of,  which,  in  God,  fupplies  the  place  of 
what  we  underftand  by  knowledge  ;  froni  which  it  differs 
not  in  quantity  or  degree  of  perfedion,  but  altogether, 
and  in  kind,  as  light  doth  from  found  j  and  even  more, 
fince  thcfe  agree  in  that  they  are  both  fenfations  :  whereas 
knowledge  in  God  hath  no  fort  of  refemblance,  or  agree- 
ment, with  any  notion  that  man  can  frame  of  knowledge. 
The  like  may  be  faid  of  all  the  other  attributes,  which  in- 
deed may,  by  this  means,  be  equally  reconciled  with  every- 
thing, or  with  nothing.  But  all  men,  who  think,  mufl 
needs  fee,  this  is  cutting  knots,  and  not  untying  them. 
For  how  are  things  reconciled  with  the  divine  attributes, 
when  thefe  attributes  themfelvcs  are,  in  every  intelligible 
fenfe,  denied  j  and  confequently  the  very  notion  of  God 
taken  away,  and  nothing  left  but  the  name,  without  any 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  179 

meaning  annexed  to  it  ?  In  fhort,  the  belief  that  tlicre  is 
an  unknown  fubjedl  of  attributes,  abfolutely  unknown,  is  a 
very  innocent  do£lrine  :  which  the  acute  Diagoras  well 
faw,  and  was,  therefore,  wonderfully  delighted  with  this 
fyftem. 

XVIII.  For,  faid  he,  if  this  could  once  make  its  wa)', 
and  obtain  in  the  world,  there  would  be  an  end  of  all  nat- 
ural or  rational  religion,  which  is  the  bafis  both  of  the  Jew- 
ifh  and  the  chriftian  :  for  he  who  comes  to  God,  or  enters 
hirafelf  in  the  church  of  God,  mufl  firfc  believe  that  there 
is  a  God,  in  fome  intelligible  fenfe  :  and  not  only  that 
there  is  fomething  in  general  without  any  proper  notion, 
though  never  fo  inadequate,  of  any  of  its  qualities  or  attri- 
butes :  for  this  may  be  fate,  or  chaos,  or  plaftic  nature,  or 
any  thing  elfe,  as  well  as  God.  Nor  will  it  avail  to  fay, 
there  is  fomething  in  this  unknown  Being  analogous  to 
knowledge  and  goodnefs  :  that  is  to  fay,  which  produceth 
thofe  effects,  which  we  could  not  conceive  to  be  produced 
by  men  in  any  degree,  without  knowledge  and  goodnefs. 
For  this  is,  in  fa6t,  to  give  up  the  point  in  difpute  between 
theifts  and-  atheifts,  the  queftion  having  always  been,  not 
whether  there  was  a  principle  (which  point  was  allowed 
by  all  philofophers,  as  well  before  as  fmce  Anaxagoras) 
but  whether  this  principle  was  a  nous^  a  thinking,  intelligent 
Being  :  that  is  to  fay,  whether  that  order,  and  beauty,  and 
ufe,  vifible  in  natural  efFecls,  could  be  produced  by  any 
thing  but  a  mind  or  intelligence,  in  the  proper  fenfe  of 
the  word  ?  and  whether  there  muft  not  be  true,  real,  and 
proper  knowledge  in  the  firft  caufe  ?  we  will  therefore  ac- 
knowledge, that  all  thofe  natural  eiFe^is,  which  are  vulgarly 
afcribed  to  knov/ledge  and  wifdom,  proceed  from  a  Being, 
in  which  there  is,  properly  fpeaking,  no  knowledge,  or 
wifdom  at  all,  but  only  fomething  elfe,  which,  in  reality, 
is  the  caufe  of  thofe  things  which  men,  for  want  of  know- 


i8o  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

ing  better,  afcribe  to  what  they  call  knowledge,  and  wif- 
dom,  and  underftandlng.  You  wonder,  perhaps,  to  hear  a 
man  of  pleafure,  who  diverts  himfelf  as  I  do,  philofophize 
at  this  rate.  But  you  (hould  confider,  that  much  is  to  be 
got  by  converfing  with  ingenious  men,  which  is  a  fhort 
way  to  knowledge,  that  faves  a  man  the  drudgery  of  read- 
ing and  thinking.  And  now  we  have  granted  to  you  that 
there  is  a  God  in  this  indifinite  fenfe,  I  would  fain  fee 
what  ufe  you  can  make  of  this  concelllon.  You  cannot 
argue  from  unknown  attributes,  or  which  is  the  fame  thing, 
from  attributes  in  an  unknown  fenfe.  You  cannot  prove, 
that  God  is  to  be  loved  for  his  goodnefs,  or  feared  for  his 
juftice,  or  refpe£i:ed  for  his  knowledge  :  all  which  confe- 
quences,  we  own,  would  follow  from  thofe  attributes  ad- 
mitted in  an  intelligible  fenfe.  But  we  deny,  that  thofe, 
or  any  other  confequences,  can  be  drawn  from  attributes 
admitted  in  no  particular  fenfe,  or  in  a  fenfe  which  none  of 
us  underfland.  Since,  therefore,  nothing  can  be  inferred 
from  fuch  an  account  of  God,  about  confcience,  or  wor- 
fhip,  or  religion,  you  may  even  make  the  beft  of  it :  and, 
not  to  be  fingular,  we  will  ufe  the  name  too,  and  fo  at 
once  there  is  an  end  of  atheifm. 

EuPH. — This  account  of  a  Deity  is  new  to  me.  I  do 
not  like  it,  and  tlierefore  Ihall  leave  it  to  be  maintained  by 
thofe  who  do. 

XIX.  Cri. — It  is  not  new  to  me.  I  remember,  not 
long  fince,  to  have  heard  a  Minute  Philofopher  triumph 
upon  this  very  point ;  which  put  me  on  enquring  what 
foundation  there  was  for  it,  in  the  fathers,  or  fchoolmen. 
And,  for  ought  that  I  can  find,  it  owes  it  original  to  thofe 
writings,  which  have  been  publifhed  under  the  name  of 
Dionyfius  ihe  Areopagite.  The  author  of  which,  it  muft 
be  owned,  hath  written  upon  the  Divine  Attributes  in  a 
very  fmgular  flile.  In  his  treatife  of  the  Celeftial  Hierar- 
chy, *  he  faith,  that  God  is  fomething  above  all  eflence 
*  De  Hierarch  Cteleil;.  c.  2. 


[DiA^.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  ig| 

and  life,  uper  pafan  oujian  hai  zoen  :   and  again,  ill  his  trca- 
tife  of  the  Divine  Names,  f    that  he  is  above  all  wifdom 
and  underftanding,  uper  pafan  fophian  kai  funefiriy  ineffable 
and  innominable,    arretos  kai  anonumos :    the  wifdom   of 
God  he  terms  an  unreafonable,  unintelligent,  and  foolifh 
wifdom  *,  ton  alogon  kai  anoun  kai  mor an  fophian.      But  the 
feafon   he   gives,  for  expreffing  himfelf  in  this  ftrangc 
manner,  is,  that  the   Divine  Wifdom  is  the  caufe  of  all 
reafon,  wifdom,  and  underfiianding,  and  therein  are  con- 
tained the  treafures  of  all  wifdom  and  knowledge.     He 
calls  God  uperfophos  and  uperzos  :    As  if  wifdom  and  life 
were  words  not  worthy  to  exprefs  the  Divine  Perfections  : 
And  he  adds,  that  the  attributes,  unintelligent  and  unper- 
ceiving,  muft  be  afcribed  to  the  Diviaity,  not  hat  elleipftn 
by  way  of  defecl:,  but  kath  uperochen,  by  way  of  eminen- 
cy  :    which  he  explains,  by  our  giving  the  name  of  dark- 
nefs   to   light    inacceflible.      And,  notv/ithftanding    the 
harihnefs  of  his  expreffions  in  fome   places,  he  affirms, 
over  and  over,    in  others,  that  God  knows  all   things  ; 
not  that  he  is  beholden  to  the  creatures  for  his  knowledge, 
but  by  knowing  himfelf,  from  whom  they  all  derive  their 
being,  and  in  whom  they  are  contained  as  in  their  caufe. 
It  was  late  before  thefe  writings    appear  to  have    been 
known  in  the  world  :  And,  although  they  obtained  credit, 
during  the  age  of  the  fchoolmen,  yet  fince  critical  learn- 
ing hath  been  cultivated,  they  have   loft  that  credit,  and 
are  at  this  day  given  up  for  fpurious,  as  containing  feve- 
ral  evident  marks  of  a  much  later  date  than  the  age  of  Di- 
onyfius.     Upon  the  whole,  although  this  method  of  grow- 
ing in  expreffion,  and  dwindling  in  notion,  of  clearing  up 
doubts  by  nonfenfe,  and  avoiding  difficulties  by  running  into 
affe<9:ed  contradi£lions,  may  perhaps  proceed  from  a  well- 
meant  zeal ;  yet  it  appears  not  to  be  according  to  knov/- 
ledge,  and,  inftead  of  reconciling  atheills  to  truth,  hath, 

f  De  Nom,  Div.  c.  7. 


i82  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [DiaI.  IV.3 

I  doubt,  a  tendency  to  confirm  them  in  their  own  pcr- 
fuafion.  It  fhould  feem,  therefore,  very  weak  and  rafh 
in  a  chriftian  to  adopt  this  harfh  language  of  an  apocry- 
phal writer,  preferably  to  that  of  the  holy  fcriptures.  I  re- 
member, indeed,  to  have  read  of  a  certain  philofopher,  who 
lived  fome  centuries  ago,  that  ufed  to  fay,  if  thefe  fuppo- 
fed  works  of  Dionyftus  had  been  known  to  the  primitive 
fathers,  they  would  have  furnifhed  them  admirable  wea- 
pons againft  the  heretics,  and  would  have  faved  a  world 
of  pains.  But  the  event,  fmce  this  difcovery,  hath  by 
no  means  confirmed  this  opinion.  It  muft  be  owned,  the 
celebrated  P/Vi/j"  of  Mira?jdula,  among  his  nine  hundred 
conclufions  (which  that  prince,  being  very  young,  propo- 
fed  to  maintain  by  public  difputation  at  Rome)  hath  this 
for  one  ;  to  wit,  that  it  is  more  impoper  to  fay  of  God, 
he  is  an  intellect,  or  intelligent  Being,  than  to  fay  of  a 
reafonable  foul,  that  it  is  an  angel  :  which  dodtrine,  it 
feems,  was  not  relifhed.  And  Picus,  when  he  comes 
to  defend  it,  fupports  himfelf  altogether  by  the  example 
and  authority  of  Dionyfms,  and  in  effedt  explains  it  away 
into  a  mere  verbal  defence,  affirming,  that  neither  Diony' 
ftusy  nor  himfelf,  ever  meant  to  deprive  God  of  know- 
ledge, or  to  deny  that  he  knows  all  things :  But  that,  as 
reafon  is  of  kind  peculiar  to  man,  fo,  by  intelle£l:ion,  he 
underftands  a  kind  of  manner  of  knowing  peculiar  to  an- 
gels :  And  that  the  knowledge,  which  is  in  God,  is  more 
above  the  intellection  of  angels,  than  angel  is  above  man. 
He  adds  that,  as  his  tenet  confifts  with  admitting  the 
mod  perfect  knowledge  in  God,  fo  he  would  by  no 
means  be  underftood  to  exclude  from  the  Deity  intellecftion 
itfelf,  taken  in  the  common  or  general  fenfe,  but  only 
that  peculiar  fort  of  intelle6lion  proper  to  angels,  which 
he  thinks  ought  not  to  be  attributed  to  God,  any  more 
than  human  reafon.  *    Pkus,  therefore,  though  he  fpeaks 

•  Pic.  Mirand.  in  Apolog.  p.  155.  Ed.  Baf, 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  183 

as  the  apocryphal  Dionyfius,  yet,  when  he  explains  him- 
felf,  it  is  evident  he  fpeaks  like  other  men.  And  although 
the  forementioned  books  of  the  Celeftial  Hierarchy,  and  of 
the  Divine  Names,  being  attributed  to  a  faint  and  martyr 
of  the  apoftolical  age,  were  refpetled  by  the  fchoolmen  ; 
yet  it  is  certain  they  rejeiSlcd,  or  foftened,  his  harih  ex- 
preffions,  and  explained  away,  or  reduced,  his  doftrine 
to  the  received  notions  taken  from  Holy  Scripture,  and 
the  light  of  nature. 

XX.  nomas  Aquinas  exprefleth  his  fenfe  of  this  point 
in  the  following  manner.  All  perfediions,  faith  he,  deri- 
ved from  God  to  the  creatures,  are  in  a  certain  higher  fenfe, 
or  (as  the  fchoolmen  term  it)  eminently  in  God.  Whene- 
ver, therefore,  a  name,  borrowed  from  any  perfection  in  the 
creature,  is  attributed  to  God,  we  muft  exclude  from  its 
fignification  every  thing  that  belongs  to  the  imperfe£l  man- 
ner, wherein  that  attribute  is  found  in  the  creature. 
Whence  he  concludes,  that  knowledge  in  God  is  not  an 
habit,  but  a  pure  a£l.*  And  again,  the  fame  doctor  ob- 
ferves,  that  our  intellect  gets  its  notions  of  all  forts  of  per- 
fections from  the  creatures,  and  that  as  it  apprehends  thofe 
perfections,  fo  it  fignifies  them  by  names.  Therefore,  faith 
he,  in  attributing  thefe  names  to  God,  we  are  to  confider 
two  things  ;  firft,  the  perfections  themfelves,  as  goodnefs, 
life,  and  the  like,  which  are  properly  in  God ;  and,  fecond- 
ly,  the  manner  which  is  peculiar  to  the  creature,  and  can- 
not, ftriCtly  and  properly  fpcaking,  be  faid  to  agree  to  the 
Creator.!  And  although  Suarezy  with  other  fchoolmen, 
teacheth,  that  the  mind  of  man  conceiveth  knowledge  and 
will  to  be  in  God,  as  faculties  or  operations,  by  analogy  on- 
ly to  created  beings  ;  yet  he  gives  it  plainly  as  his  opinion, 
that,  when  knowledge  is  faid  not  to  be  properly  in  God,  it 
muft  be  underftood  in  a  fenfe  including  imperfeCtion,  fuch 

*  Sum.  Theolog.  p.  i.  Quaeft.  14.  Art.  I. 
f  Ibid-  Quaeft.   13,  Art.  3, 


i84  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

as  difcurfive  knowledge,  or  the  like  imperfect  kind,  found 
in  the  creatures  :  and  that,  none  of  thofe  imperfections  in 
the  knowledge  of  men  or  angels,  belonging  to  knowledge 
as  fuch,  it  will  not  thence  follow,  that  knowledge,  in  its 
proper  fenfe,  may  not  be  attributed  to  God  :  And  of  knowl- 
edge, taken  in  general,  for  the  clear  evident  underftanding 
of  all  truth,  he  exprefsly  affirms,  that  it  is  in  God,  and  that 
this  was  never  denied  by  any  philofopher,  who  believed  a 
God.*  It  was  indeed  a  current  opinion  in  the  fchools, 
that  even  being  itfelf  fhould  be  attributed  analogically  to 
God  and  the  creatures.  That  is,  they  held  that  God, 
the  fupreme,  independent,  felf-originate  caufe  and  fource 
of  all  beings,  mull  not  be  fupofed  to  exift  in  the  fame  fenfc 
with  created  beings,  not  that  he  exifts  lefs  truly  or  properly 
than  they,  but  only  becaufe  he  exifts  in  a  more  eminent 
and  perfect  manner. 

XXI.  But  to  prevent  any  man's  being  led,  by  miftak- 
ing  the  fcholaftic  ufe  of  the  terms  analogy  and  analogical, 
into  an  opinion  that  we  cannot  frame,  in  any  degree,  a 
true  and  proper  notion  of  attributes,  applied  by  analogy, 
or,  in  the  fchool  phrafe,  predicated  analogically,  it  may 
not  be  amifs  to  Inquire  into  the  true  fenfe  and  meaning 
of  thofe  words.  Every  one  knows,  that  analogy  is  a  Greek 
word,  ufed  by  mathematicians,  to  fignlfy  a  fimilitude  of 
proportions.  For  inftance,  when  we  obferVe  that  two  is 
to  ^ix,  as  three  is  to  nine,  this  fimilitude,  or  equality  of 
proportion,  is  termed  analogy.  And  although  propor- 
tion ftriftly  fignifies  the  habitude,  or  relation,  of  one 
quantity  to  another,  yet  m  a  loofer  and  tranflated  fenfe, 
it  hath  been  applied  to  fignlfy  every  other  habitude  :  And 
Gonfequently  the  term,  analogy,  comes  to  fignlfy  all  fimi- 
litude of  relations,  or  habitudes  whatfoever.  Hence,  the 
fchoolmen  tell  us,  there  is  analogy  between  intelledl  and 
*  Suarcz  Difp.  Metaph.  Tom.  2.  Difp.  30.  Sed.  15. 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  185 

fight :  forafmuch  as  intclle£l  is  to  the  mind,  what  fight  is 
to  the  body  ?  and  that  he  who  governs  the  ftate,  is  analo- 
gous to  him  who  (tears  a  fhip.  Hence  a  prince  is  analo- 
gically ftiled  a  pilot,  being  to  the  ftate  as  a  pilot  is  to  his 
vefTeL*  For  the  farther  clearing  of  this  point,  it  is  to  be 
obferved,  that  a  two-fold  analogy  is  diftinguiflied  by  the 
fchoolmen,  metaphorical  and  proper.  Of  the  firft  kind 
there  are  frequent  inftances  in  holy  fcripture,  attributing 
human  parts  and  paffions  to  God.  When  he  is  reprefent- 
ed  as  having  a  finger,  an  eye,  or  an  ear  :  when  he  is  faid 
to  repent,  to  be  angry,  or  grieved  :  every  one  fees  the  an- 
alogy is  merely  metaphorical.  Becaufe  thofe  parts  and 
paffions,  taken  in  the  proper  fignification,  muft  in  every 
degree  neceflarily,  and  from  the  formal  nature  of  the  thing, 
include  imperfection.  When,  therefore,  it  is  faid,  the  fin- 
ger of  God  appears  in  this  or  that  event,  men  of  common 
fenfe  mean  no  more,  but  that  it  is  as  truly  afcribed  to  God, 
as  the  works  wrought  by  human  fingers  are  to  man  :  and 
fo  of  the  reft.  But  the  cafe  is  different,  when  wifdom  and 
knowledge  are  attributed  to  God.  Paffions  and  fenfes, 
as  fuch,  imply  defedt :  but  in  knowledge  fimply,  or  as 
fuch,  there  is  no  defeat.  Knowledge,  therefore,  in  the 
proper  formal  meaning  of  the  word,  may  be  attributed  to 
God  proportionably,  that  is,  preferving  a  proportion  to  the 
infinite  nature  of  God.  We  may  fay,  therefore,  that  as 
God  is  infinitely  above  man,  fo  is  the  knowledge  of  God 
infinitely  above  the  knowledge  of  man,  and  this  is  what  Caje- 
tan  calls  Analogia proprie  facia.  And  after  this  fame  analogy, 
we  muft  underftand  all  thofe  attributes  to  belong  to  the  Deity, 
which,  in  them felves  fimply,  and  as  fuch,  denote  perfe£tion, 
Wc  may,  therefore,  confiftcntly  with  whathath  been  premi- 
fed,  affirm,  that  all  forts  of  perfe£tion,  which  we  can  con- 
ceive in  a  finite  fpirit,  are  in  God,  but  without  any  of  that 
sllay  which  is  found  in  the  creatures.  This  doctrine, 
*  v-de  Cajfitan.  «3e  Nom,  Analog,  c.  3 

z 


lU         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IVJ 

therefore,  of  analogical  perfe£lions  in  God,  or  our  know- 
ing God  by  analogy,  feems  very  much  mifunderftood,  and 
mifapplied,  by  thofe  who  would  infer  from  thence,  that 
we  cannot  frame  any  dire£i:  or  proper  notion,  though  never 
fo  inadequate,  of  knowledge  or  wifdom,  as  there  are  in  the 
Deity  ;  or  underftand  any  more  of  them,  than  one  born 
blind  can  of  light  and  colours. 

XXII.  And  now,  gentlemen,  it  may  be  expelled  I 
{hould  a{k  your  pardon,  for  having  dwelt  fo  long  on  a 
point  of  metaphyfics,  and  introduced  fuch  unpoliflied  and 
unfafhionable  writers,  as  the  fchoolmen,  into  good  compa- 
ny :  but  as  Lyficks  gave  the  occafion,  I  leave  him  to  an- 
fwer  for  it. 

Lys.-— I  never  dreamed  of  this  dry  diflertation.  But, 
if  I  have  been  the  occafion  of  difcuffing  thefe  fcholaftic 
points,  by  my  unlucky  mentioning  the  fchoolmen,  it  was 
my  firft  fault  of  the  kind,  and  I  promife  it  fhall  be  the  laft. 
The  meddling  with  crabbed  authors  of  any  fort,  is  none  of 
my  ta(le>  I  grant,  one  meets,  now  and  then,  with  a  good 
notion  in  what  we  call  dry  writers,  fuch  an  one,  for  exam- 
ple, as  this  I  was  fpeaking  of,  which  I  muft  own  ftruck 
my  fancy.  But  then,  for  thefe,  we  have  fuch  as  Prodicus^ 
x)V  Diagoras,  who  look  into  obfolete  books,  and  favc  the 
reft:  of  us  that  trouble. 

Cri. — So  you  pin  your  faith  upon  them. 

Lys. — It  is  only  for  fome  odd  opinions,  and  matters  of 
hO:,  and  critical  points.  Befides,  we  know  the  men  to 
whom  we  give  credit :  they  are  judicious  and  honeft,  and 
have  no  end  to  ferve  but  truth.  And  I  am  confident  fome 
author  or  other  has  maintained  the  forementioned  notion 
in  the  fame  fcnfe  as  Diagoras  related  it. 

Cri. — That  may  be.  But  it  never  was  a  received  no- 
tion, and  never  will,  fo  long  as  men  believe  a  God  :  the 
fame  arguments  that  prove  a  firft:  caufe,  proving  an  intcUi- 


[Dial.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  187 

gent  caufe :  intelligent,  I  fay,  in  the  proper  fenfc :  wife 
and  good,  in  the  true  and  formal  acceptation  of  the  words. 
Otherwife  it  is  evident,  that  every  fyllogifm  brought  to 
prove  thofe  attributes,  or  (which  is  the  fame  thing)  to  prove 
the  Being  of  a  God,  will  be  found  to  confift  of  four 
terms,  and  confequently  can  conclude  nothing.  But,  for 
your  part,  Alciphroriy  you  have  been  fully  convinced,  that 
God  is  a  thinking  intelligent  Being,  in  the  fame  fenfe  with 
other  fpirits,  though  not  in  the  fame  imperfed  manner  or 
degree. 

XXIII.  Alc. — And  yet  I  am  not  without  my  fcruples  r 
for,  with  knowledge  you  infer  wifdom,  and  with  wifdom 
goodnefs.  Though  I  cannot  fee  that  it  is  either  wife,  or 
good,  to  ena£t  fuch  laws  as  can  never  be  obeyed. 

Cri. — Doth  any  one  find  fault  with  the  exadnefs  of 
gcoptietrical  rules,  becaufe  no  one  in  prafbice  can  attain  to 
it  ?  the  perfection  of  a  rule  is  ufeful,  even  though  it  is  not 
reached.     Many  may  approach  what  all  may  fall  fhort  of. 

Alc— But  how  is  it  poffible  to  conceive  God  fo  good, 
and  man  fo  wicked  ?  It  may,  perhaps,  with  fome  colour 
be  alledged,  that  a  little  foft  (hadowiiig  of  evils  fcts  off  the 
bright  and  luminous  parts  of  the  creation,  and  fo  contri- 
butes to  the  beauty  of  the  whole  piece  ;  but,  for  blots  fo 
large  and  fo  black,  it  is  impoffible  to  account  by  that  prin- 
ciple. That  there  ftiould  be  fo  much  vice,  and  fo  little 
virtue  upon  earth,  and  that  the  laws  of  God's  kingdom 
fhould  be  fo  ill  obferved  by  his  fubje£i:s,  is  what  can  never 
be  reconciled  with  that  furpafling  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of 
the  Supreme  Monarch. 

EuPH. — ^Tell  me,  Akiphrotiy  would  you  argue  that  a 
ftate  was  ill  adminftred,  or  judge  of  the  manners  of  its 
citizens,  by  the  difordcrs  committed  in  the  goal  or  dun- 
geon ? 

ALC.-.-I  would  not. 


1 88  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IVJ 

EuPH. — And,  for  ought  we  know,  this  fpot  with  the  few 
finners  on  it,  bears  no  greater  proportion  to  the  univerfc 
of  intelligences,  than  a  dungeon  doth  to  a  kingdom.  It 
feems,  we  are  led  not  only  by  revelation,  but  by  common 
fenfe,  obferving  and  inferring  from  the  analogy  of  vifiblc 
things,  to  conclude  there  are  innumerable  orders  of  intelli- 
gent beings,  more  happy  and  more  perfeft  than  man : 
whofe  life  is  but  a  fpan,  and  whofe  place,  this  earthly  globe, 
is  but  a  point,  in  refpe£t  of  the  whole  fyftem  of  God's 
Creation.  We  are  dazzled  indeed  with  the  glory  and 
grandeur  of  things  here  below,  becaufe  we  know  no  better. 
But  I  am  apt  to  think,  if  we  knew  what  it  was  to  be  an 
angel  for  one  hour,  we  fliould  return  to  this  world,  though 
it  were  to  fit  on  the  brighteft  throne  in  it,  with  vaftly  more 
loathing  and  relu6lance,  than  we  would  now  defcend  into 
a  loathfome  dungeon  or  fepulchre. 

XXIV.  Cri. — To  me  it  feems  natural,  that  fuch  a 
weak,  paflionate,  and  fliort-fight  creature  as  man,  fhould 
be  ever  liable  to  fcruples  of  one  kind  or  other.  But,  as 
this  fame  creature  is  apt  to  be  over-pofitive  in  judging,  and 
over-hafty  in  concluding,  it  falls  oiit,  that  thefe  difficulties 
and  fcruples  about  God's  condudi  are  made  obje£^ions  to 
his  Being.  And  fo  men  come  to  argue  from  their  own 
defe£ts,  againft  the  divine  perfections.  And,  as  the  views 
and  humours  of  men  are  different,  and  often  oppofite,  you 
may  fometimes  fee  them  deduce  the  fame  atheiftical  con- 
clufion  from  contrary  premifes.  I  knew  an  inftance  of 
this  in  two  Minute  Philofophers  of  my  acquaintance,  who 
ufed  to  argue  each  from  his  own  temper  againft  a  Provi- 
dence. One  of  them,  a  man  of  a  choleric  and  vindidlivc 
fpirit,  faid  he  could  not  believe  a  Providence :  becaufe 
London  was  not  f  wallowed  up  or  con  fumed  by  fire  from 
heaven  :  the  flreets  being,  as  he  faid,  full  of  people,  who 
ftiew  no  other  belief  or  worfhip  of  God,  but  perpetually 


[PiAL.  IV.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  iS^ 

praying  that  he  would  damn,  rot,  fink,  and  confound  them. 
The  other,  being  of  an  indolent  and  eafy  temper,  concluded 
there  could  be  no  fuch  thing  as  a  Providence  :  for  that  a 
Being  of  confummate  wifdom  muft  needs  employ  himfdf 
better,  than  in  minding  the  prayers,  and  a£iions,  and  little 
interefts  of  mankind. 

Alc. — After  all,  if  God  have  no  palTions,  how  can  it  be 
true  that  vengeance  is  his  ?  or  how  can  he  be  faid  to  be 
jealous  of  his  glory  ? 

Cri. — We  believe  that  God  executes  vengeance  with- 
out revenge,  and  is  jealous  without  weaknefs,  juft  as  the 
mind  of  man  fees  without  eyes,  and  apprehends  without 
hands. 

XXV.  Alc. — To  put  a  period  to  this  difcourfc,  we 
will  grant,  there  is  a  God  in  this  difpaffionate  fenfe  :  but 
what  then  ?  What  hath  this  to  do  with  religion  or  divine 
worftiip  ?  To  what  purpofe  are  all  thefe  prayers  and  prai- 
fes,  and  thankfgivings,  and  finging  of  pfalms,  which  the 
foolifti  vulgar  call  ferving  God  ?  What  fenfe,  or  ufe,  or 
end  is  there  in  all  thefe  things  ? 

Cri. — We  worfhip  God,  we  praife  and  pray  to  hiffi, 
not  becaufe  we  think  that  he  is  proud  of  our  worfhip,  or 
fond  of  our  praife  or  prayers,  and  afFe£lcd  with  them  as 
mankind  are  :  or  that  all  our  fervice  can  contribute  in  the 
leaft  degree  to  his  happinefs  or  good  :  but  becaufe  it  is 
good  for  us,  to  be  fo  difpofed  towards  God  :  becaufe  it  is 
juft  and  right,  and  fuitable  to  the  nature  of  things,  and 
becoming  the  relation  we  ftand  in  to  our  Supreme  Lord 
and  Governor. 

Alc. — If  it  be  good  for  us  to  worfhip  God,  it  (hould 
feem  that  the  chriftian  religion,  which  pretends  to  teach 
men  the  knowledge  and  worihip  of  God,  was  of  fome  ufe 
and  benefit  to  mankind, 

Cri. — Doubtlefs. 


f^  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  IV.] 

Alc— If  this  can  be  made  appear,  I  ihall  own  myfelf 
tcry  much  miftaken. 

Cri.— It  is  now  near  dinner-time.  Wherefore,  if  you 
f  leafe,  we  will  put  an  end  to  this  converfation  for  the  pre- 
fcnt,  and  to-morrow  morning  refume  our  fubje^ 


>S><>^S>^;>lC;-c:;wc::•<>o;>.l;>c>ls;:.<;>.::::l.l:;:;^l:;::l.|-:.<:::M:r;<;:t.l;:;>.::;:.<::,^::>.:::  :;!.,:;;>,::?< 


THE 


FIFTH     DIALOGUE. 

I.   Minute  Phihfophers  join  in  the  Cry,  and  fellow  the  Scent 
of  others,      II.   Worfhip  prefcribed  by  the  Chrifiian  Religi^ 
on  fuitable  to  God  and  Man.      III.   Power  and  Influence 
of  the  Druids.      IV.    Excellency  and  Ufefulnefs   of  the 
Chrifiian  Religion,     V.   //  ennobles  Mankind,  and  males 
them  happy,     VI.  Religion  neither  Bigotry  nor  Superfli- 
Hon,  Vn.    Rhyftcians   and  Phyftc  for   the  Soul.      VIII. 
Character  of  the  Clergy.      IX.   Natural  Religion  and  Hu' 
man  Reafon  not  to  be  difparaged.      X.   Tendency  and  Ufe 
of  the  Gentile  Religion.      XL   Good  EffeBs  of  Chriftiani- 
ty.     XII.  Englifhmen   compared   with  ancient   Greeks 
and  Romans.      XIII.   The  modern  PraBice  of  Duelling. 
XrV.   CharaBer  of  the  old  Romans,  how  to  be  formed. 
XV.   Genuine  Fruits   of  the  Gofpel.      XVI.    Wars  and 
FaBions  not  an  effeB  of  the   Chrifiian  Religion,      XVII. 
Civil  Rage  and  Majfacres  in  Greece  and  Rome.    XVIII. 
Virtue  of  ancient  Greeks.      XIX.    parrels  of  Polemical 
Divims,      XX.    Tyranny,    Ufurpation,   Sophiflry  of  Ec^ 
clefaflics,      XXI.  The  Univerftties  cenfured.      XXII.   Di- 
vine Writings  of  a  certain  modern  Critic.    XXIII.  Learn- 
ing the  EffeB  of  Religion.       XXIV.    Barbarifm  of  the 
Schools.      XXV.  Re/f oration  of  Learning  and  polite  Arts, 
to  whom  owing.      XXVI.   Prejudice  and  Ingratitude  of 
Minute  Philofophers.        XXVII.    Their  Pretenfions  and 
ConduB  inconftfient.      XXVIIL   Men  and  Brutes  compare 
ed  with  refpeB  to  Religion.      XXIX.    Chrijlianity  the  only 
Means  to  efablifh  Natural  Religion.      XXX.  Free-think- 
ers  mifake   their   Talents ;    have   a  flrong  Imagination. 
XXXI.    Tithes  and  Church-lands.      XXXII.    Men  diflin- 
guijhedfrcm  Human  Creatures.      XXXIII.     Diflribution 


[Dial,  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  193 

of  Mankind  into  Birdr,  Bea/Js,  and  Fijhes.  XJCXIV. 
Plea  for  Reafon  allowed^  but  Unfairnefs  Taxed.  XXXV. 
Freedom  a  Bleffmg  or  Curfe^  as  it  is  iifed,  XXXVI. 
Friejicraft  not  the  reigning  EviL 

y  Y  E  amufed  ourfelves  next  day,  every  one  to 
his  fancy,  till  nine  of  the  clock,  when  word  was  brought 
that  the  tea-table  was  fet  in  the  library  :  which  is  a  gallery 
on  the  ground  floor,  with  an  arched  door  at  one  end, 
opening  into  a  walk  of  limes  ;  where,  as  foon  as  we  had 
drank  tea,  we  were  tempted  by  fine  weather  to  take  a 
walk,  which  led  us  to  a  fmall  mount,  of  eafy  afcent,  on 
the  top  whereof  we  found  a  feat  under  a  fpreading  tree. 
Here  we  had  a  profpeiSt,  on  one  hand,  of  a  narrow  bay, 
or  creek,  of  the  fea,  inclofed  on  either  fide  by  a  coafl 
beautified  with  rocks  and  woodS;,  and  green  banks  and 
farm-houfes.  At  the  end  of  the  bay  was  a  fmall  town, 
placed  upon  the  flope  of  a  hill,  which,  from  the  advantage 
of  its  fituation,  made  a  confiderable  figure.  Several  fifh- 
ing  boats  and  lighters,  gliding  up  and  down  on  a  furface  as 
fmooth  and  bright  as  glafs,  enlivened  the  profpect.  On 
the  other  hand,  we  looked  down  on  green  paftures,  flocks, 
and  herds,  baflcing  beneath  in  fun-fhine,  while  we,  in 
our  fuperior  fituation,  enjoyed  the  freflinefs  of  air  and 
fhade.  Here  we  felt  that  fort  of  joyful  inftin(Sl:,  which  a 
rural  fcene  and  fine  weather  infpire  ;  and  propofed  no 
fmall  pleafure,  inrefuming  and  continuing  our  conference, 
without  interruption,  till  dinner  :  But  we  had  hardly 
feated  ourfelves,  and  looked  about  us,  when  we  faw  a. 
fox  run. by  the  foot  of  our  mount  into  an  adjacent  thicket, 
A  few  minutes  after,  we  heard  a  confufed  noife  of  the 
opening  of  hounds,  the  winding  of  horns,  and  the  roar- 
rag  of  country  fquires.  While  our  attention  was  fuf- 
oended  bv  this  event,  a   fervant   Cvime   running  out  o'i 


194  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

breath,  and  told  Crito,  that  his  neighbor,  Ctefippus,  a 
fquire  of  note,  was  fallen  from  his  horfe  attempting  to 
leap  over  a  hedge,  and  brought  into  the  hall,  where  he 
lay  for  dead.  Upon  which  we  all  rofe,  and  walked  haf- 
tily  to  the  houfe,  where  we  found  Cteftppus  juft  come  to 
himfelf,  in  the  midft  of  half  a  dozen  fun-burnt  fquires, 
in  frocks  and  fhort  wigs,  and  jockey-boots.  Being  afked 
how  he  did,  he  anfwered,  it  was  only  a  broken  rib.— 
With  fome  difficulty  Crito  perfuaded  him  to  lie  on  a  bed 
till  the  chirurgeon  came.  Thefe  fox-hunters  having  been 
up  early  at  their  fport,  were  eager  for  dinner,  which  was 
accordingly  haftened.  They  pafTed  the  afternoon  in  a 
loud  ruftic  mirth,  gave  proof  of  Iieir  religion  and  loyalty 
by  the  healths  they  drank,  talked  of  hounds  and  horfes, 
znd.  elections,  and  country  affairs,  till  the  chirurgeon, 
who  had  been  employed  about  Ctsfppus,  defired  he  might 
be  put  into  Crito^s  coach,  and  fent  home,  having  refufed 
to  (lay  all  night.  Our  guefts  being  gone,  we  repofed 
ourfelves  after  the  fatigue  of  this  tumultuous  vifit,  and 
next  morning  affemblcd  again  at  the  feat  of  the  mount. 
Now  LyJtcliSi  being  a  nice  man,  and  a  bel  efprity  had  an 
infinite  contempt  for  the  rough  manners  and  converfation 
of  fox-hunters,  and  could  not  reflect  with  patience  that 
he  had  loft,  as  he  called  it,  fo  many  hours  in  their  com- 
pany. I  flattered  myfelf,  faid  he,  that  there  had  been  none 
of  this  fpecies  remaining  among  us  ;  Strange  that  men 
iliould  be  diverted  with  fuch  uncouth  noife  and  hurry,  or 
find  pleafure  in  the  fociety  of  dogs  and  horfes  !  How 
much  more  elegant  are  the  diverfions  of  the  town  !  There 
feems,  replied  Euphranor,  to  be  fome  refemblance  between 
fox-hunters  and  free-thinkers ;  the  former  exerting  their 
animal  faculties  in  purfuit  of  game,  as  you  gentlemen  em- 
ploy your  intellectuals  in  the  purfuit  of  truth.  The  kind 
of  amufement  is  the  fame,  although  the  objedt  be  dif- 
erent. 


[Dial.  VJ    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  195 

Lys. — I  had  rather  be  compared  to  any  brute  upon  earth 
than  a  rational  brute. 

Cri.— rYou  would  then  have  been  lefs  difpleafed  with 
my  friend  Pythoclesy  whom  I  have  heard  compare  the  com- 
mon fort  of  Minute  Philofophers,  not  to  the  hunters,  but 
the  hounds.  For,  faid  he,  you  fhall  often  fee  among  the 
dogs  a  loud  babler,  with  a  bad  nofe,  lead  the  unfKilful  part 
of  the  pack ;  who  join  all  in  his  cry,  without  following 
any  fcent  of  their  own,  any  more  than  the  herd  of  free- 
thinkers follow  their  own  reafon. 

II.  But  Pythocles  was  a  blunt  man,  and  muft  never  have 
known  fuch  reafoners  among  them,  as  you  gentlemen,  who 
can  fit  fo  long  at  an  argument,  difputc  every  inch  of 
ground,  and  yet  know  when  to  make  a  reafonable  con- 
ceflion. 

Lys. — I  do  not  know  how  it  came  to  pafs,  but  methinks 
Alc'iphron  makes  conceflions,  for  himfelf  and  me  too.  For 
my  own  part,  I  am  not  altogether  of  fuch  a  yielding  tem- 
per :  But  yet  I  do  not  care  to  be  fmgular  neither. 

Cri. — Truly,  Alciphron^  when  I  confider  where  we  are 
got,  and  how  far  we  are  agreed,  I  conceive  it  probable  we 
may  agree  altogether  in  the  end.  You  have  granted  that 
a  life  of  virtue  is  upon  all  accounts  eligible,  as  moft  con- 
ducive both  to  the  general  and  particular  good  of  mankind  : 
And  you  allow,  that  the  beauty  of  virtue  alone  is  not  a  fuf- 
ficient  motive  with  mankind  to  the  praftice  of  it  This 
led  you  to  acknowledge,  that  the  belief  of  a  God  would 
be  very  ufeful  in  the  world  :  And  that,  confequently,  you 
fhould  be  difpofed  to  admit  any  reafonable  proof  of  his 
being  :  Which  point  hath  been  proved,  and  you  have  ad- 
mitted the  proof.  If  then  we  admit  a  Divinity,  why  not 
divine  worfhip  ?  and  if  worfhip,  why  not  religion  to  teach 
this  virorfhip  ?  and  if  a  religion,  why  not  the  chriftian,  if  a 
better  cannot  be  afligned,  and  if  it  be  already  eftabUlhed 


uj6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.j 

by  the  laws  of  our  country,  and  handed  down  to  us  from 
our  Fore-fathers  ?  fhall  we  believe  a  God,  and  not  pray  to 
him  for  future  benefits,  nor  thank  him  for  the  paft  ?  nei- 
ther truft  in  his  prote£l:ion,  nor  love  his  goodnefs,  nor  praife 
his  wifdom,  nor  adore  his  power  ?  And  if  thefe  things  are 
to  be  done,  can  we  do  them  in  a  way  more  fuitable  to  the 
dignity  of  God  or  man,  than  is  prefcribed  by  the  chriftian 
reHgion  ? 

Alc. — I  am  not  perhaps  altogether  fure  that  religion 
mud  be  abfolutely  bad  for  the  public  :  But  I  cannot  bear 
to  fee  policy  and  religion  walk  hand  in  hand  :  I  do  not 
like  to  fee  human  rights  attached  to  the  divine :  I  am  for 
no  Pontifex  Maximus^  fuch  as  in  ancient  or  in  modern 
Rome :  No  high  prieft,  as  in  Judea  :  No  royal  pried,  as  in 
£gypt  and  Sparta :  No  fuch  things  as  the  Dairos  of  Japan 
or  Lamas  of  Tartary. 

III.  I  knew  a  little  witty  gentleman  of  our  fe^t,  who 
was  a  great  admirer  of  the  ancient  Druids.  He  had  a 
moral  antipathy  to  the  prefent  eiUbliflied  religion,  but 
ufed  to  fay,  he  (hould  like  well  to  fee  the  Druids  and  their 
religion  reftored,  as  it  anciently  flouriflied  in  Gaul  and 
Britain  ;  for  it  would  be  right  enough  that  there  (liould 
be  a  number  of  contemplative  men  fet  apart  to  preferve  a 
knowledge  of  arts  and  fciences,  to  educate  youth,  and 
teach  men  the  immortality  of  the  foul,  and  the  moral  vir- 
tues. Such,  faid  he,  were  the  Druids  of  old,  and  I  fhould 
be  glad  to  fee  them  once  more  eftablifned  among  us. 

Cri. — How  would  you  like,  Alciphron,  that  priefts 
fhould  have  power  to  decide  ail  controverfies,  adjudge 
property,  diftribute  rewards  and  punifhments  ;  that  all 
who  did  not  acquiefce  in  their  decrees  fnould  be  excommu- 
nicated, held  in  abhorrence,  excluded  from  all  honours 
and  privileges,  and  deprived  of  the  common  benefit  of  the 
laws  \  and  that,  now   and  then,   a  number  of  lay-men 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  197 

ihould  be  crammed  together  in  a  wicker-idol,  and  burnt 
for  an  offering  to  their  Pagan  Gods  ?  How  {hould  you  like 
living  under  fuch  priefts  and  fuch  a  religion  ? 

Alc.^ — Not  at  all.  Such  a  fituation  would  by  no  means 
agree  with  free-thinkers. 

Cri. — And  yet  fuch  were  the  Druidsy  and  fuch  their 
religion,  if  wc  may  truft  Cafar's  account  of  them.* 

Lys. — I  am  now  convinced  more  than  ever,  that  there 
ought  to  be  no  fuch  thing  as  an  eftablilhed  religion  of  any 
kind.  Certainly  all  the  nations  of  the  world  have  been 
hitherto  out  of  their  wits.  Even  the  Athenians  themfelves, 
the  wifefl:  and  freed  people  upon  earth,  had,  I  know  not 
what,  foolifh  attachment  to  their  eftabliflied  church. 
They  offered,  it  feems,  a  talent  as  a  reward  to  whoever 
fnould  kill  Diagorasy  the  Me/iany  a  free-thinker  of  thofe 
times,  who  derided  their  myfleries  :  And  Protagoras,  ano- 
ther of  the  frtme  turn,  narrowly  efcaped  being  put  to  death, 
for  having  wrote  fomething  that  fcemed  to  contradi£l: 
their  received  notions  of  the  Gods.  Such  was  the  treat- 
ment our  generous  fe6l  met  with  at  Athens.  And  I  make 
no  doubt,  but  thefe  Druids  would  have  facrificed  many  a 
holocauft  of  free-thinkers.  I  would  not  give  a  fingle  far- 
thing to  exchange  one  religion  for  another.  Away  with 
all  together,  root  and  branch,  or  you  had  as  good  do  no- 
thing. No  Druids  or  priefrs,  cf  any  fort,  for  me  :  I  fee 
no  occafion  for  any  of  them. 

IV.  EuPH. — What  Lyftcles  faith,  puts  me  in  mind  of 
the  clofe  of  our  laft  conference,  wherein  it  was  agreed  in 
the  following,  to  refume  the  point  we  were  then  entered 
upon  :  to  wit,  the  ufe  or  benefit  of  the  chriftian  religion, 
which  Alciphron  expelled  Crito  fhould  make  appear. 

Cri. — I  am  the  readier  to  undertake  this  point,  becaufe 
I  conceive  it  to  be  no  difficult  one,  and  that  one  great  mark 

*  Dc  Bello  GaUico.  1.  6. 


ipS  klNUTE  PHILOSOPHER.     [Dial.  V.] 

of  the  truth  of  chriftianity  is,  in  my  mind,  its  tendency  to 
do  good,  which  feems  the  north-ftar  to  conduct  our  judg- 
ment in  moral  matters,  and  in  all  things  of  a  praftic  na- 
ture ;  moral  or  practical  truths  being  ever  conne6t:ed  with 
univerfal  benefit.  But  to  judge  rightly  of  this  matter,  we 
fhould  endeavour  to  a£t  like  Lyficles  upon  another  occafion, 
taking  into  our  view  the  fum  of  things,  and  confidering 
principles  as  branched  forth  into  confequences  to  the  ut* 
mod  extent  we  are  able.  We  are  not  fo  much  to  regard 
the  humour,  or  caprice,  or  imaginary  diftreifes,  of  a  few 
idle  men,  whqfe  conceit  may  be  offended,  though  their 
confcience  cannot  be  wounded  ;  but  fairly  to  confidcr  the 
true  intereft  of  individuals,  as  well  as  of  human  fociety. 
Now,  the  chriftian  religion,  confidered  as  a  fountain  of  light, 
and  joy,  and  peace,  as  a  fource  of  faith,  and  hope,  and  char- 
ity, (and  that  it  is  fo,  will  be  evident  to  whoever  takes  his 
notion  of  it  from  the  gofpel)  muft  needs  be  a  principle  of 
happinefs  and  virtue=  And  he  who  fees  not,  that  the  dc- 
ftroying  the  principles  of  good  a£l:ions  muft  deftroy  good 
a6lions,  fees  nothing :  And  he  who,  feeing  this,  fhall  yet 
perfift  to  do  it,  if  he  be  not  wicked,  who  is  ? 

V.  To  me  it  feems,  the  man  can  fee  neither  deep  nor 
far,  who  is  not  fenfible  of  his  own  mifery,  finfulnefs  and 
dependence ;  who  doth  not  perceive,  that  this  prefent 
world  is  not  defigned  or  adapted  to  make  rational  fouls 
happy  ;  who  would  not  be  glad  of  getting  into  a  better 
ftate  j  and  who  would  not  be  overjoyed  to  find  that  the 
road  leading  thither,  was  the  love  of  God  and  man,  the 
pra61:ifing  every  virtue,  the  living  reafonably  while  we  are 
here  upon  earth,  proportioning  our  efteem  to  the  value 
of  things,  and  fo  ufing  this  world  as  not  to  abufe  it.  For 
this  is  what  chriftianity  requires.  It  neither  injoins  the 
naftinefs  of  the  cynic,  nor  the  infenfibility  of  the  ftoic. 
Can  there  be  a  higher  ambition  than  to  overcome  the  world. 


[Dial.  V.]     MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER,  199 

or  a  wifer,  than  to  fubdue  ourfelves,  or  a  more  comfort-y 
able  doclrine,  than  the  remiffion  of  fms,  or  a  more  joy- 
ful profpe6i:,  than  that  of  having  our  bafe  natures  renew- 
ed and  aflimilated  to  the  Deity,  our  being  made  fellow- 
citizens  with  angels  and  fons  of  God  ?  Did  ever  Pytha- 
goreans^ or  Platonijlsy  or  Stoicsy  even  in  idea  or  in  wifh, 
propofe  to  the  mind  of  man  purer  means,  or  a  nobler 
end  ?  How  great  a  (hare  of  our  happinefs  depends  upon 
hope  !  How  totally  is  this  extinguifhed  by  the  Minute 
Philofophy  !  On  the  other  hand,  how  is  it  cheriftied  and 
raifed  by  the  gofpel  !  Let  any  man,  who  thinks  in  ear- 
neft,  but  confider  thefe  things,  and  then  fay,  which  he 
tliinks  deferveth  beft  of  mankind,  he  who  recommends, 
or  he  who  i)I»is  down  chriftianity  ?  Which  he  thinks  like- 
lier to  lead  a  happy  life,  to  be  a  hopeful  fon,  an  honeft 
dealer,  a  worthy  patriot,  he  who  fmcerely  believes  the 
gofpel,  or  he  who  believes  not  one  tittle  of  it  ?  He  who 
aims  at  being  a  child  of  God,  or  he  who  is  contented  to 
be  thought,  and  to  be,  one  of  Epicurus^s  hogs  ?  And,  in 
fa6l,  do  but  fcan  the  characters,  and  obferve  the  beha- 
vior of  the  common  fort  of  men  on  both  fides ;  obferve, 
and  fay  which  live  moft  agreeably  to  the  dictates  of  rea- 
fon  ?  How  things  ftiould  be,  the  reafon  is  plain  j  how 
they  are,  I  appeal  to  fa6t. 

VL  Alc. — It  is  wonderful  to  obferve  how  things 
change  appearance,  as  they  are  viewed  in  different  lights, 
or  by  different  eyes.  The  picture,  Critoy  that  I  form  of 
religion  is  very  unlike  yours,  when  I  confider  how  it  un- 
mans the  foul,  filling  it  with  abfurd  reveries,  and  flavifh 
fears  :  how  it  extinguifhes  the  gentle  pafTions,  infpiring  a 
fpirit  of  malice,  and  rage,  and  perfecution  :  When  I 
beheld  bitter  refentments  and  unholy  wrath  in  thofe 
very  men,  who  preach  up  meeknefs  and  charity  to  others. 

Cri. — It  is  very  poflible,  that  gentlemen  of  your  itSt 
may  think  religion  a  fubje6l  beneath  their  attention  ;   but 


200  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

yet  it  feems  that  whoever  fets  up  for  oppofing  any  doc- 
trine^  ihould  know  what  it  is  he  difputes  againft.  Know 
then,  tiiat  religion  is  the  virtuous  mean  between  incredu- 
lity and  fuperftition.  We  do  not,  therefore,  contend 
for  fuperftitious  follies,  or  for  the  rage  of  bigots.  What 
we  plead  for  is,  religion  againft  profanenefs,  law  againft 
confufion,  virtue  againft  vice,  the  hope  of  a  chriftian 
againll  the  defpondency  of  an  atheift.  I  will  not  juftify 
bitter  refentments  and  unholy  wrath  in  any  man,  much 
lefs  in  a  chriftian,  and  leaft  of  all  in  a  clergyman.  But 
if  failies  of  human  palhon  ftiould  fometimes  appear  even  in 
the  beft,  it  will  not  furprife  any  one  who  refle6ls  on  the 
farcafms  and  ill  manners  with  which  they  are  treated  by 
the  Minute  Philofophers.  For,  as  Cicero  fomewhere  ob- 
ferves,  Habet  quendam  acideum  contumeliai  quern  pati  pru^ 
denies  ac  viri  boni  difficillime  pojfunt.  But  although  you 
might  fometimes  obferve  particular  perfons,  profefling 
themfelves  chriftians,  run  into  faulty  extremes  of  any 
kind,  through  paffion  and  infirmity,  while  infidels  of  a 
more  calm  and  difpaflionate  temper  fiiall  perhaps  behave 
better;— yet  thefe  natural  tendencies,  on  either  fide, 
prove  nothing,  either  in  favor  of  infidel  principles,  or 
againft  chriftian.  If  a  believer  doth  evil,  it  is  owing  to 
the  man,  not  to  his  belief.  And  if  an  infidel  doth  good, 
it  is  owing  to  the  man,  and  not  to  his  infidelity. 

VII.  Lys. — To  cut  this  matter  Ihort,  I  fhall  borrow 
an  allufion  to  phyfic,  which  one  of  you  made  ufe  of 
againft  our  feft.  It  will  not  be  denied  that  the  clergy 
pafs  for  phyficians  of  the  foul,  and  that  religion  is  a  fort 
of  medicine  which  they  deal  in  and  adminifter.  If  then 
fouls,  in  great  numbers,  are  difeafed  and  loft,  how  can 
we  think  the  phyfician  fkilful,  or  his  phyfic  good  ?  It  is 
a  common  complaint,  that  vice  increafes,  and  men  grow 
daily  more  and   rr.ore  '\v:cked.     Jf  a  (hepherd's   flock  be 


tDiAL.  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  ^©i 

difeafed  or  unfound,  who  is  to  blame  but  the  (hepherd, 
for  negle£^Ing,  or  not  knowing  how  to  cure  them  ?  A 
fig,  therefore,  for  fuch  Ihepherds,  fuch  phyfic,  and  fuch 
phyficians,  who,  like  other  mountebanks,  with  great 
gravity  and  elaborate  harangues,  put  off  their  pills  to  the 
people,  who  are  never  the  better  for  them. 

EuPH. — Nothing  feems  more  reafonable  than  this  re- 
mark, that  men  fhould  judge  of  a  phyfician  and  his  phy- 
fic, by  its  efFedls  on  the  fick.  But  pray,  Lyficles,  would 
you  judge  of  a  phyfician,  by  thofe  Tick  who  take  his  phy- 
fic and  follow  his  prefcriptions,  or  by  thofe  who  do  not  ? 

Lys. — Doubtlefs  by  tliofe  who  do. 

EuPH. — What  {hall  we  fay  then,  if  great  numbers  re- 
fufe  to  take  the  phyfic,  or,  inftead  of  it,  take  poifon  of  a 
dire£l:  contrary  nature,  prefcribed  by  others,  who  make 
it  their  bufinefs  to  difcredit  the  phyfician  and  his  medi- 
cines, to  hinder  men  from  ufing  them,  and  to  deftroy 
their  effect  by  drugs  of  their  own  ?  Shall  the  phyfician  be 
blamed  for  the  mifcarriage  of  thofe  people  ? 

Lys. — By  no  means. 

EuPH. — By  a  parity  of  reafon,  fliould  it  not  follow, 
that  the  tendency  of  religious  do£trincs  ought  to  be  judg- 
ed of  by  the  efFe£l:s  which  they  produce,  not  upon  all 
who  hear  them,  but  upon  thofe  only  who  receive  or  be- 
lieve them  ? 

Lys. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPH. — Therefore,  to  proceed  fairly,  (hall  we  not 
judge  of  the  effects  of  religion  by  the  religious,  of  faith  by 
the  believers,  of  chriftianity  by  chriftians  } 

VIII.  Lys. — But  I  doubt  thefe  fincere  believers  arc 
very  few, 

EupH.— -But  will  it  not  fuffice  to  juflify  our  principles, 
if,  in  proportion  to  the  numbers  which  receive  them,  and 
the  degree  of  faith  with  which  they  are  received,  they 
B  b 


2C2  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.} 

produce  good  effeifis  ?  Perhaps  the  number  of  believers 
are  not  fo  few  as  you  imagine ;  and  if  they  were,  whofe 
fault  is  that  fo  much  as  of  thofe  who  make  it  their  pro- 
fefled  endeavor  to  leffen  that  number  ?  And  who  are 
thofe  but  the  Minute  Philofophers  ? 

Lys. — I  tell  you,  it  is  owing  to  the  clergy  thcmfelves, 
to  the  wickednefs  and  corruption  of  clergymen. 

EuPK.— And  who  denies  that  there  may  be  Minute 
Philofophers  even  among  the  clergy  ? 

Cri. — In  fo  numerous  a  body,  it  is  to  be  prefumed 
there  are  men  of  all  forts.  But  notwithftanding  the  cru- 
el reproaches  caft  upon  that  order  by  their  enemies,  an 
equal  obferver  of  men  and  things  will,  if  I  miftake  not, 
be  inclined  to  think  thofe  reproaches  owing  as  much  to 
other  faults,  as  thofe  of  the  clergy  :  Efpecially  if  he  con  - 
fiders  the  declamatory  manner  of  thofe  who  cenfure  them. 

EuPH.— My  knowledge  of  the  world,  is  too  narrow  for 
me  to  pretend  to  judge  of  the  virtue,  and  merit,  and  liber- 
al attainments  of  men,  in  the  feveral  profefTions.  Befides, 
I  fliouldnot  care  for, the  odious  work  of  comparifon  :  But 
I  may  venture  to  fay,  the  clergy  of  this  country  where  I 
live,  arc  by  no  means  a  difgrace  to  it :  On  the  contrary, 
the  people  feem  much  the  better  for  their  example  and 
doctrine.  But  fuppofing  the  clergy  to  be  (what  all  men 
certainly  are)  finncrs,  and  faulty  ;  fuppofing  you  ipight 
fpy  out  here  and  there  among  them  even  great  crimes  and 
vices  :  what  can  you  conclude  againft  the  profeffion  itfelf 
from  its  unworthy  profeflbrs,  any  more  than  from  the 
pride,  pedantry,  and  bad  lives  of  fome  philofophers 
againft  philofophy,  or  of  lawyers  againft  law  ? 

IX.  Cri. — It  is  certainly  right  to  judge  of  principles 
from  their  efte£l:s,  but  then  we  muft  know  them  to  be 
effects  of  thofe  principles.  It  is  the  very  method  I  have 
obferved,  with  refped  to  religion  and  the  Minute  Philofo- 


tt)iAL.  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  203 

-phy.  And  I  can  honeftly  aver,  that  I  never  knew  any 
man,  or  family,  grow  worfe  in  proportion  as  they  grew  reli- 
gious :  But  I  have  often  obferved,  that  Minute  Philofophy 
is  the  word  thing  which  can  get  into  a  family,  the  readiell 
way  to  impoverifh,  divide,  and  difgrace  it. 

Alc. — By  the  fame  method  of  tracing  caufes  from 
their  efFecls,  I  have  made  it  my  obfervation,  that  the  love 
of  truth,  virtue,  and  the  happincfs  of  mankind  are  fpe- 
cious  pretexts,  but  not  the  inward  principles  that  fet  di- 
vines at  work  :  Elfe  why  ihould  they  affecl  to  abufe  hu- 
man reafon,  to  difparage  natural  religion,  to  traduce  the 
philofophers,  as  they  univerfally  do  ? 

Cri. — Not  fo  univerfally  perhaps  as  you  imagine.  A 
chriftian,  mdeed,  is  for  confining  reafon  within  its  due 
bounds  :  And  fo  is  every  reafonable  man.  If  we  are  for- 
bid meddling  with  unprofitable  queflions,  vain  philofophy, 
and  fcience,  falfly  fo  called,  it  cannot  be  thence  inferred, 
that  all  inquiries  into  profitable  queflions,  ufeful  philofo- 
phy, and  true  fcience,  are  unlawful.  A  Minute  Philofo- 
pher  may  indeed  impute,  and  perhaps  a  weak  brother  may 
imagine,  thofe  inferences,  but  men  of  fenfe  will  never  make 
them.  God  is  the  common  Father  of  lights  :  And  all 
knowledge,  really  fuch,  whether  natural  or  revealed,  is 
derived  from  the  fame  fource  of  light  and  truth.  To 
amafs  together  authorities  upon  fo  plain  a  point,  would  be 
needlefs.  It  mufl  be  owned,  fome  men's  attributing  too 
much  to  human  reafon,  hath,  as  is  natural,  made  others 
attribute  too  little  to  it.  But  thus  much  is  generally  ac- 
knowledged, that  there  is  a  natural  religion,  which  may 
be  difcovered  and  proved  by  the  light  of  reafon,  to  thofc 
who  are  capable  of  fuch  proofs.  But  it  mufl  be  withal 
acknowledged,  that  precepts  and  oracles  from  Heaven  are 
incomparably  better  fuited  to  popular  improvement,  and 
the  good  of  fociety,  than  the  reafonings  of  philofophers  : 
And  accordingly  we  do  not  find,  that  natural  or  rational 


204  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [DiAt.  V."] 

religion,  as  fuch,  ever  became  the  popular  national  reli- 
gion of  any  country. 

X.  Alc. — It  cannot  be  denied,  that  in  all  heathen  coun- 
tries, there  have  been  received,  under  the  colour  of  reli- 
gion, a  world  of  fables  and  fuperftitious  rites.  But  I 
queftion  whether  they  were  fo  abfurd,  and  of  fo  bad  influ- 
ence, as  is  vulgarly  reprefented,  fince  their  refpe£live  le- 
giflators  and  magiftrates  muft,  without  doubt,  have  thought 
them  ufefui. 

Cri. — It  were  needlefs  to  inquire  into  all  the  rites  and 
notions  of  the  Gentile  world.  This  hath  been  largely  done 
when  it  was  thought  neceflary.  And  whoever  thinks  it 
worth  while,  may  be  eafily  fatisfied  about  them.  But  as 
to  the  tendency  and  ufefulnefs  of  the  heathen  religion  in 
general,  I  beg  leave  to  mention  a  remark  of  St.  Auguf- 
tinis^  who  obferves  that  the  heathens,  in  their  religion, 
had  no  aflemblies  for  preaching,  wherein  the  people  were 
to  be  inftruded  what  duties  or  virtues  the  Gods  required, 
no  place  or  means  to  be  taught  what  Ferjius  \  exhorts  them 
to  learn. 

Difciteque  6  miferiy  ^   caufas  cognofcite  rerunty 
^uid  fumuSf   ^  quidnam  viSluri  gignimur. — 

Alc. — This  is  the  true  fpirit  of  the  party,  never  to  al- 
low a  grain  of  ufe  or  goodnefs  to  any  thing  out  of  their 
own  pale  :  But  we  have  had  learned  men,  who  have  done 
juftice  to  the  religion  of  the  Gentiles. 

Cri. — We  do  not  deny,  but  there  was  fomething  ufefui 
in  the  old  religions  of  Rome  and  Greece^  and  fome  other 
pagan  countries.  On  the  contrary,  we  freely  own  they 
produced  fome  good  effects  on  the  people  :  But  then  thefe 
good  effects  were  owing  to  the  truths  contained  in  thofe 

*  De  Civitate  Dsi  I.  %.  f  Sat.  3. 


tDiAL.  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  2©5 

falfe  religions  :  The  truer,  therefore,  the  more  ufeful.  I 
believe  you  will  find  it  a  hard  matter  to  produce  any  ufe- 
ful truth,  any  moral  precept,  any  falutary  principle,  or 
notion,  in  any  Gentile  fyftem,  either  of  religion  or  philo- 
fophy,  which  is  not  comprehended  in  the  chriftian,  and 
cither  enforced  by  ftronger  motives,  or  fupported  by  bet- 
ter authority,  or  carried  to  a  higher  point  of  perfection. 

XL  Alc. — Confequently  you  would  have  us  think 
ourfelves  a  finer  people  than  the  ancient  Greeks  or  Romans. 

Cri. — If  by  finer,  you  mean  better,  perhaps  we  are  : 
And  if  we  are  not,  it  is  not  owing  to  the  chriftian  religion, 
but  to  the  want  of  it. 

Alc. — You  fay  perhaps  we  are.  I  do  not  pique  my- 
felf  on  my  reading  :  But  fhould  be  very  ignorant  to  be  ca- 
pable of  being  impofed  on  in  fo  plain  a  point.  What ! 
compare  Cicero  or  Brutus  to  an  Englijh  patriot,  or  Seneca  to 
one  of  our  parfons  !  Then  that  invincible  conftancy  and 
vigour  of  mind,  that  difintcrefted  and  noble  virtue,  that 
adorable  public  fpirit  you  fo  much  admire,  are  things 
in  them  fo  well  known,  and  fo  different  from  our  man- 
ners, that  I  know  not  how  to  excufe  your  perhaps.  Eu^ 
phranor,  indeed,  who  pafleth  his  life  in  this  obfcure  cor- 
ner, may  poflibly  miftake  the  chara£l:ers  of  our  times : 
But  you,  who  know  the  world,  how  could  you  be  guilty  of 
fuch  a  miftake  ? 

Cri.—- O  Ak'iphron  !  I  v/ould  by  no  means  detradi;  from 
the  noble  virtue  of  ancient  heroes :  But  I  obferve  thofe 
great  men  were  not  the  Minute  Philofophers  of  their 
times  :  And  that  the  beft  principles  upon  which  they  a£t- 
cd,  arc  common  to  them  with  chriftians,  of  whom  it 
would  be  no  difficult  matter  to  aflign,  if  not  in  our  own 
times,  yet  within  the  compafs  of  our  own  hiftory,  many 
inftances,  in  every  kind  of  worth  and  virtue,  public  or 
private,  equal  to  the  moft  celebrated  of  the  ancients. 
Though  perhaps  their  ftory  might  not  have  been  fo  well 


1^6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

told,  fet  ofF  with  fuch  fine  lights  and  colourings  of  ftile, 
or  fo  vulgarly  known  and  confidered  by  every  fchool-boy. 
But  though  it  Ihould  be  granted,  that  here  and  there  a 
Greek  or  Roman  genius,  bred  up  under  ftri£t  laws,  and 
fevere  difcipline,  animated  to  pubHc  virtue  by  ftatues, 
crowns,  triumphal  arches,  and  fuch  rewards  and  monu- 
ments of  great  anions,  might  attain  to  a  charafter  and 
fame  beyond  other  men  •,  yet  this  will  prove  only,  that 
they  had  more  fpirit,  and  lived  under  a  civil  polity  more 
wifely  ordered,  in  certain  points,  than  ours  :  Which  advan- 
tages of  nature  and  civil  inftitution  will  be  no  argument 
for  their  religion,  or  againft  ours.  On  the  contrary,  it 
feems  an  invincible  proof  of  the  power  and  excellency  of 
the  chriftian  religion,  that,  without  the  help  of  thofe  ci- 
vil inftitutions  and  incentives  to  glory,  it  ihould  be  able  to 
infpire  a  phlegmatic  people  with  the  noblefl:  fentiments, 
and  foften  the*  rugged  manners  of  northern  boors  into 
gentlenefs  and  humanity :  And  that  thefe  good  qualities 
Ihould  become  national,  and  rife  and  fall  in  proportion  to 
the  purity  of  our  religion,  as  it  approaches  to,  or  recedes 
from  the  plan  laid  down  in  the  gofpel. 

XII.  To  make  a  right  judgment  of  the  effects  of  the 
chwftian  religion,  let  us  take  a  furvey  of  the  prevailing 
notions  and  manners  of  this  very  country  where  we  live, 
and  compare  them  with  thofe  of  our  heathen  predeceflbrs. 

Alc. — I  have  heard  much  of  the  glorious  light  of  the 
gofpel,  and  fhould  be  glad  to  fee  fome  efFe£ts  of  it  in  my 
own  dear  country,  which,  by  the  by,  is  one  of  the  moft 
corrupt  and  profligate  upon  earth,  notwithflanding  the 
boafted  purity  of  our  religion.  But  it  would  look  mean 
and  diffident,  to  afFe6i:  a  comparifon  with  the  barbarous 
heathen,  from  whence  we  drew  our  original;  If  you 
would  do  honor  to  your  religion,  dare  to  make  it  with 
the  moft  renowned  heathens  of  antiquity. 


iDiAU  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  207 

Cri. — It  is  a  common  prejudice,  to  defpife  the  pre- 
fent,  and  over-rate  remote  times  and  things.     Something 
of  this  feems  to  enter  into  the  judgments  men  make  of  the 
Greeks   and   Romans.     For  though   it   mud  be  allowed, 
thofe  nations  produced  fome  noble  fplrits,  and  great  pat- 
terns of  virtue  :  yet,  upon  the  whole,  it  feems  to  me,  they 
were  much  inferior,  in  point  of  real  virtue  and  good  mo- 
rals, even  to  this   corrupt  and  profligate  nation,  as  you 
are  now  pleafed   to  call  it,  in  difhonor  to  our  religion ; 
however  you  may  think  fit  to  chara£terife  It,  when  you 
would  do  honor  to  the  Minute  Philofophy.    This,  I  think, 
will  be  plain  to  any  one,  who  (hall  turn  off  his  eyes  from 
a  few  fhining    charadlers,  to  view  the  general  manners 
and  cuftoms  of  thofe  people.     Their  infolent  treatment  of 
captives,  even  of  the  higheft  rank   and  fofter  fex,  their 
unnatural  expofing  of   their  own  children,  their  bloody 
gladiatorian  fpe£l:acles,  compared  with  the  common  no- 
tions of  Engltjhmejiy  are  to  me  a  plain   proof,  that  our 
minds    are  much  foftened    by  chriftianity.       Could  any 
thing  be  more  unjuft,  than  the  condemning  a  young  lady 
to  the   mod   infamous  punlfhment,   and  death,    for  the 
guilt  of  her  father,  or  a  whole  family  of  flaves,  perhaps 
fome  hundreds,  for  a  crime  committed  by  one  ?  Or  more 
abominable  than  the  bacchanals  and  unbridled  iufts  of 
every  kind  ?    which,    notwithftanding  all  that  has   been 
done  by  Minute  Philofophers  to  debauch  the  nation,  and 
their  fuccefsful  attempts  on  fome  part  of  it,  have  not  yet 
been  matched  among  us,  at  leaft  not  in  every   circum- 
ftance  of  impudence  and  affrontery.      While  the  Romans- 
were  poor,  they  were  temperate  ;  but,  as  they  grew  rich, 
they  became  'luxurious  to  a  degree  that  is  hardly  believed 
or  conceived  by  us.      It  cannot  be  benied,  the  old  Roman 
fpirlt  was  a  great  one.      But  it  is  as  certain,  there  have 
been  numberlcfs  examples  of  the  moft  refolute  and  clear 
courage  in  Britons ,  and,  in  general,  from  a  religious  caufe. 


2o8  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VJ 

Upon  the  whole,  it  feems  an  inftance  of  the  greateft 
blindnefs  and  ingratitude,  that  we  do  not  fee  and  own 
the  exceeding  great  benefits  of  chriftianity,  which,  to 
omit  higher  confidcrations,  hath  fo  vifibly  foftened^  polifh- 
ed,  and  embelliflied  our  manners. 

XIII.  Alc. — O  Crko,  we  are  alarmed  at  cruelty  in  a 
foreign  fhape,  but  overlook  it  in  a  familiar  one.  Elfe 
how  is  it  poflible  that  you  (hould  not  fee  the  inhumanity 
of  that  barbarous  ouftom  of  duelling,  a  thing  avowed  and 
tolerated,  and  even  reputable  among  us  ?  Or  that,  fee- 
ing this,  you  fhould  fuppofe  o^r  Engli/hmen  of  a  more 
gentle  difpofition  than  the  ©Id  Romans,  who  were  alto- 
gether ftrangers  to  it  ? 

Cri. — I  will  by  no  means  make  an  apology  for  every 
Goth  that  walks  the  ftreets,  with  a  determined  purpofe  to 
murder  any  man  who  Ihall  but  fpit  in  his  face,  or  give 
him  the  lie.  Nor  do  I  think  the  chriftian  religion  in  the 
leaft  anfwerable,  for  a  praf^ice  fo  directly  oppofite  to  its 
precepts,  and  which  obtains  only  among  the  idle  part  of 
the  nation,  your  men  of  fafnion  5  who,  inftead  of  law, 
reafon,  and  religion,  are  governed  by  fafhion.  Be  plea- 
fed  to  confider,  that  what  may  be,  and  truly  is,  a  moft 
fcandalous  reproach  to  a  chriftian  country,  may  be  none 
at  all  to  the  chriftian  religion  :  For  the  pagan  encouraged 
men  in  feveral  vices,  but  the  chriftian  in  none. 

Alc— Give  me  leave  to  obferve,  that  what  you  now 
fay  is  foreign  to  the  purpofe.  For  the  queftion,  at  prc- 
fent,  is  not  concerning  the  refpe(3:ive  tendencies  of  the 
pagan  and  the  chriftian  religions,  but  concerning  our  man- 
ners, as  actually  compared  with  thofe  of  ancient  heath- 
ens, who,  I  aver,  had  no  fuch  barbarous  cuftom  as  duel- 
ing. 

Cri.— And  I  aver  that,  bad  as  this  is,  they  had  a 
worfe ;  and  that  was  poifoning.     By  which  we  have  rea- 


tDiAL.  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  aop 

fon  to  think  there  were  many  more  lives  deftroyed,  than 
by  this  Gothic  crime  of  duelling  :  inafmuch  as  it  extended 
to  all  ages,  fexes,  and  characters,  and  as  its  efFefts  were 
more  fecret  and  unavoidable  :  and  as  it  had  more  tempt- 
ations, intereft  as  well  as  paflion,  to  recommend  it  to 
wicked  men.  And  for  the  fa6l,  not  to  wafte  time,  I  re- 
fer you  to  the  Roman  authors  themfelves. 

Lys.— It  is  very  true,  duelling  is  not  fo  general  a  nufance 
as  poifoning,  nor  of  fo  bafe  a  nature.  This  crime,  if  it 
be  a  crime,  is  in  a  fair  way  to  keep  its  ground,  in  fpite 
of  the  law  and  the  gofpel.  The  clergy  never  preach 
againft  it,  becaufe  themfelves  never  fufFer  by  it ;  and  the 
man  of  honor  muft  never  appear  againft  the  means  of 
vindicating  honor. 

Cri.— Though  It  be  remarked  by  fome  of  your  fe<f^, 
that  the  clergy  are  not  ufed  to  preach  againft  duelling, 
yet  I  neither  think  the  remark  itfelf  ju^,  nor  the  reafon 
•affigned  for  it.  In  efFedt,  one  half  of  their  fermons,  all 
that  is  faid  of  charity,  brotherly  love,  forbearance,  meek- 
nefs,  and  forgiving  injuries,  is  dire6tly  againft  this  wick- 
ed cuftom ;  by  which  the  clergy  themfelves  are  fo  far 
from  never  fufFering,  that  perhaps  they  will  be  found,  all 
things  confidered,  to  fufFer  oftner  than  other  men. 

Lys. — How  do  you  make  this  appear  ? 

Cri. — An  obferver  of  mankind  may  remark  two  kinds 
of  bully,  the  fighting  and  the  tame,  both  public  nufances  : 
the  former  (who  is  the  more  dangerous  animal,  but  by 
much  the  lefs  common  of  the  two)  employs  himfelf  whol- 
ly and  folely  againft  the  laity,  while  the  tame  fpecies  exert 
their  talents  upon  the  clergy.  The  qualities  conftituent 
of  this  tame  bully,  are  natural  rudenefs,  joined  with  a  de- 
licate fenfe  of  danger.  For,  you  muft  know,  the  force 
of  inbred  infolence,  and  ill  manners,  is  not  diminiftied, 
though  it  acquire  a  new  determination,  from  the  fafliion- 
able  cufton^  of  calling  men  to  account  for  their  behavior. 

C  c 


210  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

Hence  you  may  often  fee  one  of  thefc  tame  bullies  ready 
to  burfl  with  pride  and  ill  humour,  which  he  dares  not 
vent,  till  a  parfon  has  come  in  the  way  to  his  relief.  And 
the  man  of  raillery,  who  would  as  foon  bite  off  his  tongue, 
as  break  a  jcft  on  the  profeflion  of  arms,  in  the  prefence 
of  a  military  man,  (hall  inftantly  brighten  up,  and  af- 
fume  a  familiar  air  with  religion  and  the  church  before 
ecclefiailics.  Dorcouy  who  pafleth  for  a  poltron  and  ftu- 
pid  in  all  other  company,  and  really  is  fo,  when  he  is 
got  among  clergymen,  effects  a  quite  oppofite  chara6ler. 
And  many  Dorcons  there  are,  which  owe  their  wit  and 
courage  to  this  pafTive  order. 

XIV.  Alc. — But  to  return  to  the  point  in  hand,  can 
you  deny,  the  old  Romans  were  as  famous  for  juftice  and 
integrity,  as  men  in  thefe  days  for  the  contrary  qualities  ? 

Cri. — The  character  of  the  Romans  is  not  to  be  taken 
from  the  fentiments  of  Tully  or  Cato^s  a£tions,  or  a  fliin--^ 
ing  palTage,  here  and  there,  in  their  hiftory,  but  from  the 
prevailing  tenor  of  their  lives  and  notions.  Now  if  they 
and  our  modern  Britons  are  weighed  in  this  fame  equal 
balance,  you  will,  if  I  miftake  not,  appear  to  have  been 
prejudiced  in  favor  of  the  old  Romans  againft  your  own 
country  :  Probably  becaufe  it  profefleth  chriftianity. 
"Whatever  inftances  of  fraud  or  injuftice  may  be  feen  in 
chriftians,  carry  their  own  cenfure  with  them,  in  the  care 
that  is  taken  to  conceal  them,  and  the  fhame  that  attends 
their  difcovery.  There  is,  even  at  this  day,  a  fort  of 
modefty  in  all  our  public  councils  and  deliberations. 
And  I  believe,  the  boldeft  of  our  Minute  Philofophers 
would  hardly  undertake  in  a  popular  alTembly,  to  propofe 
any  thing  parallel  to  the  rape  of  the  Sabinesy  the  moll  un- 
juft  ufage  of  Lucius  Tarquinius  CollatinuSy  or  the  ungrate- 
ful treatment  of  Camillus,  which,  as  a  learned  father  ob- 
ferves,  were  inftances  of  iniquity  agreed  to  by  the  public 


[Dial,  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  an 

body  of  the  Romans.  And  if  Rome,  in  her  early  days, 
were  capable  of  fuch  flagrant  injuftice,  it  is  nroft  certain 
{he  did  not  mend  her  manners,  as  Ihe  grew  great  in  wealth 
and  empire,  having  produced  monfters  in  every  kind  of 
wickednefs,  as  far  exceeding  other  men,  as  they  furpaf- 
fed  them  in  power.  I  freely  acknowledge,  the  chriftian 
religion  hath  not  had  the  fame  influence  upon  the  nation, 
that  it  would,  in  cafe  it  had  been  always  profefled  in  its  pu- 
rity, and  cordially  believed  by  all  men.  But  I  will  ven- 
ture to  fay,  that  if  you  take  the  Roman  hiftory  from  one 
end  to  the  other,  and  impartially  compare  it  with  our  own, 
you  will  neither  find  them  fo  good,  nor  your  countrymen 
fo  bad  as  you  imagine.  On  the  contrary,  an  indifferent  eye 
may,  I  verily  think,  perceive  a  vein  of  charity  and  jullice, 
the  eff'ed^  of  chriftian  principles,  run  through  the  latter ; 
which,  though  not  equally  difcernible  in  all  parts,  yet 
difclofeth  itfelf  fufficiently  to  make  a  wide  difference  upon 
the  whole,  in  fpite  of  the  general  appetites  and  pafllons 
of  human  nature,  as  well  as  of  the  particular  hardnefs 
and  roughnefs  of  the  block,  out  of  which  we  were  hewn. 
And  it  is  obfervable  (what  the  Roman  authors  themfelves 
often  fuggefl:)  that,  even  their  virtues  and  magnanimous 
a£lions  rofe  and  fell  with  a  fenfe  of  Providence  and  a  fu- 
ture ftate,  and  a  philofophy  the  neareft  to  the  chriftian 
religion. 

XV.  Crito  having  fpoke  thus,  paufed.  But  Alciphron 
addrefliing  himfelf  to  Etiphranor  and  me,  faid,  it  is  natural 
for  men,  according  to  their  feveral  educations  and  preju- 
dices, to  form  contrary  judgments  upon  the  fame  things, 
which  they  view  in  very  different  lights.  Crito^  for  in- 
ftance,  imagines  that  none  but  falutary  effects  proceed 
from  religion  ;  On  the  other  hand,  if  you  appeal  to  the 
general  experience  and  obfervation  of  other  men,  you 


212  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER,    [Dial.  V.] 

{hall  find  it  grown  into  a  proverb,  that  religion  is  the  root 
of  evil. 

Tanium  Religw  potuit  fuadere  malorum. 

And  this,  not  only  among  Epicureans ^  or  other  ancient 
heathens,  but  among  moderns  fpeaking  of  the  chriftian 
religion.  Now  methinks  it  is  unreafonable  to  oppofc 
againfl  the  general  concurring  opinion  of  the  world,  the 
obfervation  of  a  particular  perfon,  or  particular  fet  of 
zealots,  whofe  prejudice  fticks  clofe  to  them,  and  evef 
mixeth  with  their  judgment ;  and  who  read,  collect,  and 
obferve  with  an  eye  not  to  difcover  the  truth,  but  to  de- 
fend their  prejudice. 

Cri. — Though  I  cannot  think  with  Alciphron,  yet  I 
muft  own  I  admire  his  addrefs  and  dexterity  in  argument. 
Popular  and  general  opinion  is  by  him  reprefented,  on 
certain  occafions,  to  be  a  fure  mark  of  error.  But  when 
it  ferves  his  ends  that  it  fhould  feem  otherwife,  he  can  as 
eafily  make  it  a  charader  of  truth.  But  it  will  by  no 
means  follov/,  that  a  profane  proverb,  ufed  by  the  friends 
and  admired  authors  of  a  Minute  Philofopher,  muft  there- 
fore be  a  received  opinion,  much  lefs  a  truth  grounded 
on  the  experience  and  obfervation  of  mankind.  Sadnefs 
may  fpring  from  guilt  or  fuperftition,  and  rage  from  big- 
otry :  But  darknefs  might  as  well  be  fuppofed  the  natural 
t^tdi  of  "funfhine,  as  fuilen  and  furious  paflions  to  pro- 
ceed from  the  glad  tidings  and  divine  precepts  of  the  gof- 
pel.  What  is  the  fum  and  fubftance,  fcope  and  end,  of 
Chrift's  religion,  but  the  love  of  God  and  man  ?  To  which 
all  other  points  and  duties  (whether  pofitive  or  moral) 
are  relative  and  fubordinate,  as  parts  or  means,  as  Hgns, 
principles,  motives,  or  effects.  Now  I  would  fain  know, 
how  it  is  polTible  for  evil  or  wickednefs,  of  any  kind,  td 
fpring  from  fuch  a  fource.     I  wdli  not  pretend,  there  are 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  213 

no  evil  qualities  in  chriftians,  nor  good  in  Minute  Philo- 
phers.  But  this  I  affirm,  that  whatever  evil  is  in  us,  our 
principles  certainly  lead  to  good :  And  vv^hatever  good 
there  may  be  in  you,  it  is  mod  certain  your  principles  lead 
to  evil. 

XVI.  Alc. — It  mufl  be  owned,  there  is  a  fair  outfide, 
and  many  plaufible  things  may  be  faid,  for  the  chriftian 
religion,  taken  fimply  as  it  lies  in  the  gofpel.  But  it  is  the 
obfervation  of  one  of  our  great  writers,  that  the  firft 
chriftian  preachers  very  cunningly  began  with  the  faireft 
face  and  the  bell  moral  do£l:rines  in  the  world.  It  was 
all  love,  charity,  meeknefs,  patience  and  fo  forth.  But 
when  by  this  means  they  had  drawn  over  the  world  and 
got  power,  they  foon  changed  their  appearance,  and 
ihewed  cruelty,  ambition,  avarice,  and  every  bad  quality, 

Cri.— That  is  to  fay,  fome  men  very  cunningly  preach- 
ed and  underwent  a  world  of  hardfhips,  and  laid  down 
their  lives  to  propagate  the  beft  principles,  and  the  beft 
morals,  to  the  end  that  others,  fome  centuries  after,  might 
reap  the  benefit  of  bad  ones.  Whoever  may  be  cunning, 
there  is  not  much  cunning  in  the  maker  of  this  obferv- 
ation. 

Alc— And  yet  ever  fince  this  religion  hath  appeared  in 
the  world,  we  have  had  eternal  feuds,  fadlions,  maffa- 
ores,  and  wars,^  the  very  reverfe  of  that  hymn  with 
which  it  is  introduced  in  the  gofpel  :  Glory  he  to  God  on 
high^  on  Earthy  Peace,  Good-will  toivards  Men, 

Cri. — This  I  will  not  deny.  I  will  even  own,  that 
the  gofpel,  and  the  chriftian  religion,  have  been  often  the 
pretex-s  for  thefe  evils  :  but  it  will  not  thence  follow  they 
were  the  caufe.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  plain,  they  could 
not  be  the  real  proper  caufe  of  thefe  evils  *,  becaufc  a  re- 
bellious, proud,  revengeful,  quarrelfome  fpirit  is  direftly 
oppofite  to  the  whole  tenor,  and  mod  exprefs  precepts  of 


214  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

chriftianlty :  A  point  fo  clear,  that  I  fhall  not  prove  it. 
And  fecondly,  becaufe  all  thofe  evils  you  mention  were  as 
frequent,  nay,  much  more  frequent,  before  the  chriftian 
religion  was  known  in  the  world.  They  are  the  common 
produ£t  of  the  paflions  and  vices  of  mankind,  which  are 
fometimes  covered  with  the  mafk  of  religion  by  wicked 
men,  having  the  fprm  pf  godlinefs,  without  the  power  of 
it.  This  truth  feems  fo  plain,  that  I  am  furprifed  how 
any  man  of  fenfe,  knowledge,  and  candour  can  make  a 
doubt  of  it. 

XVII.  Take  but  a  view  of  heathen  Rcme ;  what  a 
fcene  is  there  of  fa<9;ion,  and  fury,  and  civil  rage  ?  Let 
any  man  confider  the  perpetual  feuds,  between  the  Pa- 
tricians and  Plebeians y  the  bloody  and  inhuman  fa6lions  of 
Marius  and  Sylla^  Cinna  and  OBaviuSy  and  the  vaft  hav- 
ock  of  mankind,  during  the  two  famous  triumvirates. — 
To  be  fhort,  let  any  man  of  common  candor,  and  com- 
mon fenfe,  but  caft  an  eye,  from  one  end  to  the  other 
of  the  Roman  (lory,  and  behold  that  long  fcene  of  feditions, 
murders,  maffacres,  profcriptions,  and  defolations,  of 
every  kind,  enhanced  by  every  cruel  circumftance  of  rage, 
rapine,  and  revenge  ;  and  then  fay,  whether  thofe  evils 
were  introduced  into  the  world  with  the  chriftian  reli- 
gion, or  whether  they  are  not  lefs  freqtient  now  than  be- 
fore ? 

Alc. — The  ancient  Romans,  it  muft  be  owned,  had  a 
high  and  fierce  fpirit,  which  produced  eager  contentions,' 
and  very  bloody  cataftrophes.  The  Greeks,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  a  polite  and  gentle  fort  of  men,  foftened  by 
arts  and  philofophy.  It  is  impollible  to  think  of  the  little 
ftates  and  cities  of  Greece,  without  wiftiing  to  have  lived 
in  thofe  times,  without  admiring  their  policy,  and  envy- 
ing their  happinefs. 

Cri. — Men  are  apt  to  confider  the  dark  fides  of  what 
they  poflefs,  and  the  bright  ones  of  things  out  of  their 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  215 

leach.  A  fine  climate,  elegant  tafte,  polite  amufements, 
love  of  liberty,  and  a  moft  ingenious  inventive  fpirit  for 
arts  and  faiences,  were  indifputable  prerogatives  of  an- 
cient Greece.  But,  as  for  peace  and  quietnefs,  gentie- 
nefs  and  humanity,  I  think  we  have  plainly  the  advant- 
age :  For  thofe  envied  cities,  compofed  of  gentle  Greeks^ 
were  not  without  their  fadlions,  which  perfecuted  each 
other  with  fuch  treachery,  rage,  and  malice,  that,  in  re- 
fpe£t  of  them,  our  fa£tious  folk  are  mere  lambs.  To  be 
convinced  of  this  truth,  you  need  only  look  into  Thucy- 
dides ;  *  where  you  will  find  thofe  cities,  in  general,  in- 
volved in  fuch  bitter  factions,  as  for  fellow  citizens,  with- 
out the  formalities  of  war,  to  murder  one  another,  even 
in  their  fenatc  houfcs  and  their  temples ;  no  regard 
being  had  to  merit,  rank,  obligation,  or  nearnefs  of 
blood.  And  if  human  nature  boiled  up  to  fo  vehement  a 
pitch  in  the  politeft  people,  what  wonder  that  favage  na- 
tions Ihould  fcalp,  roft,  torture,  and  deftroy  each  other, 
as  they  are  known  to  do  ?  It  is  therefore  plain,  that, 
without  religion,  there  would  not  be  wanting  pretexts  for 
quarrels  and  debates  ;  all  which  can  very  eafily  be  ac- 
counted for  by  the  natural  infirmities  and  corruption  of 
men.  It  would  not  perhaps  be  fo  eafy  to  account  for  the 
blindnefs  of  thofe,  who  impute  the  moft  hellifh  effects  to 
the  moft  divine  principle,  if  they  could  be  fuppofed  in 
carneft,  and  to  have  confidered  the  point.  One  may 
daily  fee  ignorant  and  prejudiced  men,  make  the  moft 
abfurd  blunders  :  But  that  free-thinkers,  divers  to  the 
bottom  of  things,  fair  inquirers,  and  openers  of  eyes, 
fhould  be  capable  of  fuch  a  grofs  miftake,  is  what  one 
would  not  expedl. 

XVIII.  Alc— -The  reft  of  mankind  we  could  more 
eafily  give  up :  but  as  for  the  Greeks^  men  of  the  moft 
refined  genius  exprefs  an  high  efteem  of  them  :   not  only 

*  Thucyd.  I.  3. 


fti5  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

on  account  of  thofe  qualities  which  you  think  fit  to  al- 
low them,  but  alfo  for  their  virtues. 

Cri. — I  (hall  not  take  upon  me  to  fay  how  far  fomc 
men  may  be  prejudiced  againft  their  country,  or  whether 
others  may  not  be  prejudiced  in  favor  of  it.  But,  upon 
the  fulleft  and  moft  equal  obfervation  that  I  am  able  to 
make,  it  is  my  opinion,  that,  if  by  virtue  is  meant  truth, 
juftice,  gratitude,  there  is  incomparably  more  virtue,  at 
this  day,  in  England^  than  at  any  time  could  be  found 
in  ancient  Greece.  Thus  much  will  be  allowed,  that  we 
know  few  countries,  if  any,  where  men  of  eminent  worth, 
and  famous  for  deferving  well  of  the  public,  met  with 
harder  fate,  and  were  more  ungratefully  treated,  than  in 
the  moft  polite  and  learned  of  the  Grecian  ftates.  Though 
Socrates,  it  muft  be  owned,  would  not  allow,  that  thofe 
ftatefmen,  by  adorning  the  city,  augmenting  the  fleet,  or 
extending  the  commerce  of  Athensy  deferved  well  of  their 
country  ;  or  could  with  j  uilice  complain  of  the  ungrate- 
ful returns  made  by  their  fellow  citizens,  whom,  while 
they  were  in  power,  they  had  taken  no  care  to  make  bet- 
ter men,  by  improving  and  cultivating  their  minds  with 
the  principles  of  virtue,  which,  if  they  had  done,  they 
needed  not  to  have  feared  their  ingratitude.  If  I  were  to 
declare  my  opinion,  what  gave  the  chief  advantage  to 
Greeks  and  Romans y  and  other  nations,  which  have  made 
the  greateft  figure  in  the  world,  I  fhould  be  apt  to  think 
it  was  a  peculiar  reverence  for  their  refpe£live  laws  and 
inftitutions,  which  infpired  them  with  fteadinefs  and 
courage,  and  that  hearty  generous  love  of  their  country ; 
by  which  they  did  not  merely  underftand,  a  certain  lan- 
guage or  tribe  of  men,  much  lefs  a  particular  fpot  of 
earth,  but  included  a  certain  fyftem  of  manners,  cuftoms, 
notions,  rites,  and  laws,  civil  and  religious. 

Alc. — Oh  !  I  perceive  your  drift,  you  would  have  us 
reverence  the  laws  and  religious  inftitutions  of  our  eoun- 


fDiAL.  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  217 

try.  But  herein  we  beg  to  be  excufed,  If  we  do  not  think 
fit  to  imitate  the  Greeks^  or  to  be  governed  by  any  autho- 
rity whatfoever. 

Cri. — So  far  from  it.  If  mahometanifm  were  aftab- 
lifhed  by  authority,  I  make  no  doubt,  thofe  very  free- 
thinkers, who  at  prefent  applaud  Turkifti  maxims  and 
manners,  to  that  degree,  you  would  think  them  ready  to 
turn  'Turks J  would  then  be  the  firfl:  to  exclaim  againft  theme 

Alc. — But  to  return :  As  for  wars  and  factions,  I 
grant  they  ever  were,  and  ever  will  be,  in  the  world,  upon 
fome  pretext  or  other,  as  long  as  men  are  men. 

XIX.  But  there  is  a  fort  of  war  and  warriors  peculiar 
to  chriftendom,  v/hi^h  the  heathens  had  no  notion  of :  I 
mean  difputes  in  theology  and  polemical  divines,  which 
the  world  hath  been  wonderfully  peftered  with  :  Thefe 
teachers  of  peace,  mecknefs,  concord,  and  what  not !  If 
you  take  their  word  for  it  j  but  if  you  caft  an  eye 
upon  their  practice,  you  find  them  to  have  been  in 
all  ages  the  mofl  contentious,  quarrelfome,  difagreeing 
crew  that  ever  appeared  upon  earth-  To  obferve  the 
{kill  and  fophiftry,  the  zeal  and  eagernefs,  with  which 
thofe  barbarians,  the  fchool-divines,  fplit  hairs,  and  con- 
teft  about  chimeras,  gi\^es  me  more  indignation,  as  being 
more  abfurd,  and  a  greater  icandal  to  human  reafon,  than 
all  the  ambitious  intrigues,  cabals,  and  politics  of  the 
court  of  Rome. 

Cri. — If  divines  are  quarrelfome,  that  is  not  io  far 
forth  as  divine,  but  as  undivine  and  unchriflian.  Juftice 
is  a  good  thing  ;  and  the  art  of  healing  is  excellent ;  ne- 
verthelefs,  in  the  adminiftring  of  juftice,  or  phyfic,  men 
may  be  wronged  or  poifoned.  But  as  wrong  cannot  be 
juftice,  or  the  effefl:  of  juftice,  fo  poifon  cannot  be  med- 
icine, or  the  efFe£l  of  medicine  ;  fo  neither  can  pride  or 
ftrife  be  religion,  or  the  effect  of  religion.  Having  pre- 
mifed  this,  I  acknowledge,  you  rnay  often  fee  hot-headed 
D  d 


2i8  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

bigots  engage  themfelves  in  religious  as  well  as  civil  par- 
ties, without  being  of  credit  or  fervice  to  either.  And 
as  for  the  fchoolmen  in  particular,  I  do  not  in  the  leaft, 
think  the  chriflian  religion  concerned  in  the  defence  of 
them,  their  tenets,  or  their  method  of  handling  them  : 
But,  whatever  futility  there  may  be  in  their  notions,  or 
inelegancy  in  their  language,  in  pure  juftice  to  truth  one 
muft  ov/n,  they  neither  banter,  nor  rail,  nor  declaim  in 
their  writings,  and  are  fo  far  from  fhewing  fury  or  paf- 
(ion,  that  perhaps  an  impartial  judge  will  think,  the 
Minute  Philofophers  are  by  no  means  to  be  compared  with 
them,  for  keeping  clofe  to  the  point,  or  for  temper  and 
good  manners.  But  after  all,  if  men  are  puzzled,  wran- 
gle, talk  nonfenfe,  and  quarrel  about  religion  ;  fo  they 
do  about  law,  phyfic,  politics,  and  every  thing  eJfe  of 
moment.  I  aik,  whether  in  thefe  profeflions,  or  in. any 
other,  where  men  have  refined  and  abftradted,  they  do 
not  run  into  difputes,  chicane,  nonfenfe,  and  contradic- 
tions, as  well  as  in  divinity  ?  And  yet  this  doth  not  hinder 
but  there  may  be  many  excellent  rules,  and  juft  notions, 
and  ufeful  truths,  in  all  thofe  profeffions.  In  all  difputes 
human  paffions  too  often  mix  themfelves,  in  proportion  as 
the  fubje£l  is  conceived  to  be  more  or  lefs  important. 
But  we  ought  not  to  confound  the  caufe  of'  man  with 
the  caufe  of  God,  or  make  human  follies  an  objection  to 
divine  truths.  It  is  eafy  to  diftinguifli  what  looks  like 
wifdom  from  above,  and  what  proceeds  from  the  paffion 
and  weaknefs  of  men.  This  is  fo  clear  a  point,  that  one 
would  be  tempted  to  think,  the  not  doing  it  was  an  effedy 
not  of  ignorance,  but  of  fomething  worfe. 

XX.  The  condu£t  we  object  to  Minute  Philofophers, 
is  a  natural  confequence  of  their  principles.  Whatfoever 
they  can  reproach  us  with,  is  an  efFeft,  not  of  our  princi- 
ples, but  of  human  paflion  and  frailty. 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  219 

Alc. — This  is  admirable.  So  we  muft  no  longer  ob- 
ject to  chrlftians  the  abfurd  contentions  of  councils,  the 
cruelty  of  inquifitions,  the  ambition  and  ufurpations  of 
churchmen. 

Cri. — You  may  object  them  to  chriftians,  but  not  to 
chriftianity.  If  the  Divine  Author  of  our  religion,  and 
his  difciples,  have  fowed  a  good  feed  ;  and  together  vi^ith 
this  good  feed,  the  enemies  of  his  gofpel  (among  whom 
are  to  be  reckoned  the  Minute  Philofopheis  of  all  ages) 
have  fowed  bad  feeds,  whence  fpring  tares  and  thiflles  j 
is  it  not  evident,  thefe  bad  weeds  cannot  be  imputed  to  the 
good  feed,  or  to  thofe  who  fowed  it  ?  Whatever  you  do 
or  can  objeft  againfh  ecclefiaftical  tyranny,  ufurpation,  or 
fophiftry,  may,  without  any  blemifh  or  difadvantage  to 
religion,  be  acknowledged  by  all  true  chriftians  :  Provi- 
ded ftill,  that  you  impute  thofe  wicked  effects  to  their 
true  caufe,  not  blaming  any  principles  or  perfons  for  them, 
but  thofe  that  really  produce  or  juftify  them.  Certainly, 
as  the  interefts  of  chriftianity  are  not  to  be  fupported  by 
unchriftian  methods,  whenever  thefe  are  made  ufe  of,  it 
muft  be  fuppofed  there  is  fome  other  latent  principle 
which  fets  them  at  work.  If  the  very  court  of  Rome  hath 
been  known,  from  motives  of  policy,  to  oppofe  fettling 
the  inquifition  in  a  kingdom,  where  the  fecular  power 
hath  endeavored  to  introduce  it  in  fpite  of  that  court :  * 
We  may  well  fuppofe,  that  elfewhere  factions  of  ftate, 
and  political  views  of  princes,  hath  given  birth  to  tranfaftions 
feemingly  religious,  wherein,  atbottom,  neither  religion,  nor 
church,  nor  churchmen,  were  at  allconfidered.  As  no  man  of 
common  fenfe  and  honefty  will  engage  in  a  general  defence 
of  ecclefiaftics,  fo  I  think  no  man  of  common  candour 
can  condemn  them  in  general.  Would  you  think  it  reafon- 
sble  to  blame  all  ftatefmen,  or  lawyers,  orfoldiers,  for  the 

*  P.  Paolo  iiloria  dell'  Inquifizionc.  p.  43^ 


220  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V,] 

faults  committed  by  thcfe  of  their  profeflion,  though  in 
other  times,  or  in  other  countries,  and  influenced  by  oth- 
er maxims  and  other  difcipline  ^  And  if  not,  why  do  you 
meafure  with  one  rule  to  the  clergy,  and  another  to  the 
laity  ?  Surely  the  heft  reafon  that  can  be  given  for  this  is 
prejudice.  Should  any  man  rake  together  all  the  mifchiefs 
that  have  been  committed  in  all  ages  and  nations,  by  fol- 
diers  and  lawyers,  you  would,  I  fuppofe,  conclude  from 
thence,  not  that  the  Hate  fiiould  be  deprived  of  thofe  ufe- 
ful  profcflions,  but  only  that  their  exorbitances  {hould  be 
guarded  againft  and  punifhed.  If  you  took  the  fame  equi- 
table courfe  with  the  clergy,  there  would  indeed  be  lefs 
to  be  faid  againft  you  :  But  then  you  would  have  muth 
lefs  to  fay.  This  plain  obvious  confideration,  if  every 
one  who  read  confidered^  would  leflen  the  credit  of  your 
declaimers. 

Alc. — But  when  all  is  faid  that  can  be  faid,  it  mufl 
move  a  man's  indignation  to  fee  reafonable  creatures,  un- 
der the  notion  of  ftudy  and  learning,  employed  in  read- 
ing and  writing  fo  many  voluminous  trafts  cie  land  caprind. 

Cri. — I  (hall  not  undertake  the  vindication  of  theolog- 
ical writings,  a  general  defence  being  as  needlefs  as  a 
general  charge  is  groundlefs.  Only  let  them  fpeak  for 
themfelves  :  And  let  no  man  condemn  them  upon  the 
word  of  a  Minute  Philofopher.  But  we  will  imagine 
the  very  worft,  and  fuppofe  that  a  wrangling  pedant  in  di- 
vinity difputes,  and  ruminates,  and  writes,  upon  a  refined 
point,  as  ufelefs  and  unintelligible  as  you  pleafe.  Sup- 
pofe  this  fame  perfon  bred  a  layman,  might  he  not  have 
employed  himfelf  in  tricking  bargains,  vexatious  law-fuits, 
fadions,  feditions,  and  fuch  like  amuf^ments,  with  much 
more  prejudice  to  the  public  ?  Suffer  then  curious  wits  to 
fpin  cobwebs  :  Where  is  the  hurt  } 

Alc. — The  mifchief  is,  what  men  want  in  light  they 
commonly  make  up  in  heat :   Zeal,  and  ilhnature,  being 


fDiAL.  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  22» 

weapons  conftantly  exerted  by  the  partifans,  as  well  as 
champions,  on  either  fide  :  And  thofe  perhaps  not  mean 
pedants  or  book-worms.  You  fhall  often  fee  even  the 
learned  and  eminent  divine,  lay  himfelf  out  in  explaining 
things  inexplicable,  or  contend  for  a  barren  point  of  the- 
ory,  as  if  his  life,   liberty  or  fortune  were  at  flake. 

Cri. — No  doubt  all  points  in  divinity  are  not  of  equal 
moment.  Some  may  be  too  fine  fpun,  and  others  have 
more  ftrefs  laid  on  them  than  they  deferve.  Be  the  fub- 
jedl  what  it  will,  yow  fhall  often  obferve  that  a  point  bv 
being  controverted,  firiglcd  out,  examined,  and  nearly 
infpecied,  groweth  confiderable  to  the  fame  eye,  that, 
perhaps,  would  have  overlooked  it  in  a  large  and  com.pre- 
henfive  view.  Nor  is  it  an  uncommon  thing,  to  behold 
ignorance  and  zeal,  united  in  men,  who  are  born  with  a 
fpirit  of  party,  though  the  church,  or  religion,  have  in 
truth  but  fmall  fhare  in  it.  Nothing  is  eafier  than  to 
make  a  Caricatura  (as  the  painters  call  it)  of  any  profef- 
fion  upon  earth  :  But,  at  bottom,  there  will  be  found  no- 
thing fo  flrange  in  all  this  charge  upon  the  clergy,  as  the 
partiality  of  thofe  who  cenfure  them,  in  fuppofing  the 
common  defeats  of  mankind  peculiar  to  their  order,  or 
the  efFe£l:  of  religioiis  principles. 

Alc. — Other  folks  may  difpute  or  fquabble  as  they 
pleafe,  and  nobody  mind  them  ;  but  it  feems  thefe  ven- 
erable fquabbles  of  the  clergy  pafs  for  learning,  and  inter- 
eft  mankind.  To  ufe  the  words  of  the  moft  ingenious 
chara6i:erizer  of  our  times,  "  A  ring  is  made,  and  read- 
ers gather  in  abundance.  Every  one  takes  party,  and  en- 
courages his  own  fide.  This  fhall  be  my  cham.picn  ! 
This  man  for  my  money  !  Well  hit  on  our  fide  !  Again 
a  good  flroke  !  There  he  was  even  with  him  !  Have  at 
him  the  next  bout  !   Excellent  fport  !''* 

*  Charaaerlfiics,  Vol.  III.  c.  <%. 


222  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.j 

Cri. — Methinks  I  trace  the  man  of  quality  and  breed- 
ing in  this  delicate  fatire,  which  fo  politely  ridicules  thofe 
arguments,  anfwers,  defences,  and  replications,  which 
the  prefs  groans  under. 

Alc. — To  the  infinite  wafle  of  time  and  paper,  and 
all  the  while  nobody  is  one  whit  the  wifer.  And  who 
indeed  can  be  the  wifer  for  reading  books  upon  fubje£l:s 
quite  out  of  the  way,  incomprehenfible,  and  moft  wretch- 
edly written  ?  What  man  of  fenfe  or  breeding  would  not 
abhor  the  infection  of  prolix  pulpit  eloquence,  or  of  that 
dry,  formal,  pedantic,  ftiff,  and  clumfy  flile,  which 
fmells  of  the  lamp  and  college  ? 

XXI.  They  who  have  the  weaknefs  to  reverence  the 
univerfities  as  feats  of  learning,  muft  needs  think  this  a 
ftrange  reproach  5  but  it  is  a  very  juft  one.  For  the  moil 
ingenious  men  are  now  agreed,  that  they  are  only  nurfe- 
ries  of  prejudice,   corruption,  barbarlfm,  and  pedantry. 

Lys. — For  my  part,  I  find  no  fault  with  univerfities. — 
All  I  know  is,  that  I  had  the  fpending  three  hundred 
pounds  a  year  in  one  of  them,  and  think  it  the  chearful- 
cfl  time  of  my  life.  As  for  their  books  and  ftile,  I  had 
net  leifure  to  mind  them. 

Cri. — Whoever  hath  a  mind  to  weed,  will  never  want 
work  ;  and  he  that  fhall  pick  out  bad  books  on  every  fub- 
je61:,  v/ill  foon  fill  his  library.  I  do  not  know  what  theo- 
logical writings  Alciphron  and  his  friends  may  be  conver- 
fant  in  ;  but  I  will  venture  to  fay,  one  may  find  among 
our  Englijh  divines,  many  writers,  who,  for  compafs  of 
learning,  v/elght  of  matter,  flrength  of  argument,  and 
purity  of  ftile,  are  not  inferior  to  any  in  our  language. — 
It  is  not  my  defign  to  apologize  for  the  univerfities  :  what- 
ever is  amifs  in  them  (and  what  is  there  perfect  among 
men  ?)  I  heartily  wifh  amended.  But  I  dare  affirm,  be- 
caufe  I  know  it  to  be  true^  that  any  impartial  obferver. 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  ^23 

although  they  fhould  not  come  up  to  what  in  theory  he 
might  wifh  or  imagine,  will  ncverthelefs  find  them  much 
fuperior  to  thofe  that,  in  fact,  are  to  be  found  in  other 
countries,  and  far  beyond  the  mean  picture  that  is  drawn 
of  them  by  Minute  Philofophers.  It  is  natural  for  thofe 
to  rail  moft  at  places  of  education,  who  have  profited  leaft 
by  them.  Weak  and  fond  parents  will  alfo  readily  im- 
pute to  a  wrong  caufe,  thofe  corruptions  themfelves  have 
occafioned,  by  allowing  their  children  more  money  than 
they  knew  how  to  fpend  innocently.  And  too  often  a 
gentleman,  who  has  been  idle  at  the  college,  and  kept 
idle  company,  will  judge  of  a  whole  univerfity  from  his 
own  cabal. 

Alc. — Crito  miftakes  the  point.  I  vouch  the  authori- 
ty, not  of  a  dunce,  or  a  rake,  or  abfurd  parent,  but  of 
the  moft  confummate  critic  this  age  has  produced.  This 
great  man  chara6i;erizeth  men  of  the  church  and  uni- 
verfities  with  the  fineft  touches,  and  moft  mafterly  pen- 
cil.     What  do  you  think  he  calls  them  ? 

EuPH. — What  ? 

Alc. — Why,  the  black  tribe,  magicians,  formalifts, 
pedants,  bearded  boys  •,  and,  having  fufficiently  derided 
and  exploded  them,  and  their  mean  ungenteel  learning, 
he  fets  moft  admirable  models  of  his  own  for  good  writ- 
ing :  And  it  muft  be  acknowledged,  they  are  the  fineft 
things  in  our  language  ;  as  I  could  eafily  convince  you, 
for  I  am  never  without  fomething  of  that  noble  writer 
about  me. 

EuPH. — Is  he  then  a  noble  writer  .'* 

Alc— I  tell  you  he  is  a  nobleman. 

EuPH. — But  a  noble  man  who  writes,  is  one  thing, 
and  a  noble  writer  is  another. 

Alc. — Both  chara£l:ers  are  coincident,  as  you  may  fee. 

XXII.  Upon  which  Alciphron  pulled  a  treatife  out  of 
his  pocket,  intitled  A  Soliloquyy    or  Advice  to  an  Author. — 


224  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  V.] 

Would  you  behold,  fald  he,  looking  round  upon  the 
company,  a  noble  fpecimen  of  fine  writing  :  do  but  dip 
into  this  book,  which  Crito  opening,  read  verbatim  as  fol- 
lows. * 

^  Where  then  are  the  Pleafures  nvhich  ambition  promifes^ 

*  And  love  affords  P   H.iv's  the  gay  world  enjofd  f 

*  Or  are  thofe  to  be  ejleent'd  no  pleafures^ 

*  Which  are  lojl  by  dullnefs  and  inaSiion  ? 

*  But  indolence  is  the  highejl  pleafure. 

*  To  live  and  not  to  feel !   To  feel  no  trouble* 

*  What  good  then  F   Life  itfelf      And  is 

'  This  properly  to  live  ?   Is  Jleeping  life  ? 

*  Is  this  what  Ifhouldfludy  to  prolong  ? 

*  Here  the 

*  Fantaflic  tribe  itfelf feems  fcandaliz^d. 

*  A  civil  war  begins  :    The  major  part 

*  Of  the  capricious  dames  do  range  themfelves 

*  On  reafor^s  fide^ 

*  And  declare  againfl  the  languid fr  en, 

*  Ambition  hlufhes  at  the  offer  dfweet. 

*  Conceit  and  vanity  take  fuperior  airs. 

*  Ev'n  luxury  herfelf   in  her  polite 

*  And  elegant  humour^  reproves  th^  apoflate 

*  Si/ler. 

*  And  marks  her  as  an  alien  to  true  pleafure, 

*  Away  thou 

'  Drowfy  phantom  !   Haunt  me  no  n^ore^for  I 
^  Have  learn' dy  from  better  than  thy  ftfterhood^ 

*  That  life  and  happinefs  conffi  in  aSlion 
^  And  employment. 

*  But  here  a  bufy  form  folicits  us^ 

'  ABive,  indujlriousy  watchfuly  anddefpifing 

*  Bains  and  labor.      She  wears  the  ferious 

Part  3.  %tSi.  0,. 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  225 

*  Countenance  of  virtue  y  but  ivith features 

*  Of  anxiety  and  difquiet. 

^  What  isHfhe  mutters  ?    What  looks fJje  on  ivith 
'  8uch  admiration  and  aflonifhment  ? 

*  Bags  !    Coffers  !    Heaps  of  fhining  metal !    What  ! 
'  For  thefervice  of  luxury  P   For  her  ? 

*  Thefe  preparations  P   Art  thou  then  her  friend^ 

*  Grave  Fancy  !   Is  it  for  her  thou  toiVfl  P 

*  iVi?,  but  for  provifion  againfi  nvant, 

*  But  luxury  apart  !  tell  me  noiVf 

*  Hafl  thou  not  already  a  competence  P 

*  ^Tis  good  to  be  fe cure  againfi  the  fear 

*  Offlarving.      Is  ihere  then  no  death  but  this  P 

*  No  other  paffage  out  of  life  P   Are  other  doors 

*  Securd,  if  this  be  bar'd  P    Say  avarice  I 

*  T'hou  emptiefl  of  phantoms  ^    is  it  not  vile 

*  Convardife  thou  fervfl  P    What  further  have  I  then 

*  To  do  ivith  thee  (thou  doubly  vile  dependent) 

*  When  once  I  have  difmifs'd  thy  patronefsy 

*  And  defptfed  her  threats  ? 

*  Thus  I  contend  ivith  fancy  and  opinion^ 

Euphranory  having  heard  thus  far,  cried  out,  What  f 
will  you  never  have  done  with  your  poetry  ?  another 
time  may  ferve  :  But  why  (hould  we  break  off  our  con- 
ference to  read  a  play  ?  You  are  miftaken,  it  is  no  play 
nor  poetry,  replied  Alciphrony  but  a  famous  modern  cri- 
tic moralizing  in  profe.  You  muft  know  this  great  man 
hath  (to  ufe  his  own  words)  revealed  a  grand  arcatium  to 
the  world,  having  inftru£led  mankind  in  what  he  calls 
Mirrour-writingy  felfdifcourfmg  praBicey  and  author-prac^ 
iiccy  and  fhewed,  "  That  by  virtue  of  an  intimate  recefs, 
we  may  difcover  a  certain  duplicity  of  foul,  and  divide 
oury^^into  two  parties,  or  (as  he  varies  the  phrafe)  prac- 
tically form  the  dual  number."    In  confequence  whereof 

E  e 


226  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VJ 

he  hath  found  out  that  a  man  may  argue  with  hin^felf : 
And  not  only  with  himfelf,  but  alfo  with  notions,  l^ti- 
ments,  and  vices,  which,  by  a  marvellous  profopopoeia,  he 
converts  into  fo  many  ladies  :  And  fo  converted,  he  con- 
futes and  confounds  them  in  a  divine  ilrain.  Can  any 
thing  be  finer,  bolder,   or  more  fublime  ? 

EuPH. — It  is  very  wonderful.  I  thought  indeed  you 
had  been  reading  a  piece  of  a  tragedy.  Is  this  he  who 
defpifeth  our  univerfities,  and  fets  up  for  reforming  the 
ftile  and  tafte  of  the  age  ? 

Alc.-— The  very  fame.  This  is  the  admired  critic  of 
our  times.  Nothing  can  ftand  the  teft  of  his  correct 
judgment,  which  is  equally  fevere  to  poets  and  parfons. 
"  The  Briti/h  mufes,  (faith  this  great  man)  lifp  as  in  their 
"  cradles  :  And  their  ftammering  tongues,  which  nothing 
*'  but  youth  and  rawnefs  can  excufe,  have  hitherto  fpoken 
"  in  wretched  pun  arid  quibble.  Our  dramatic  ^hakefpear^ 
**  our  Fletcher^  John/on^  and  our  Epique  Milton,  prefervc 
"  this  ftile.  And,  according  to  him,  even  our  later  au- 
"  thors,  aiming  at  a  falfe  fublime,  entertain  our  raw  fancy 
*'  and  unpra6iifed  ear,  which  has  not  yet  had  leifure  to 
"  form  itfelf,  and  become  truly  mufical." 

EupH. — Pray  what  effect  may  the  lefTons  of  this  great 
man,  in  whofe  eyes  our  learned  profeiTors  are  but  bearded 
boys,  and  our  moft  celebrated  wits  but  wretched  punfters, 
have  had  upon  the  pUbHc  ?  Hath  he  rubbed  off  the  col- 
lege ruft,  cured  the  rudenefs  and  rawnefs  of  our  authors, 
and  reduced  them  to  his  own  attic  ftandard  ^  Do  they 
afpire  to  his  true  fublime,  or  imitate  his  chafte  unaffeded 
ftile  ? 

Alc. — Doubtlefs  the  tafte  of  the  age  is  muft  mended  : 
In  proof  whereof  his  writings  are  univerfally  admired. 
When  our  author  publifhed  this  treatife,  he  forefaw  the 
public  tafte  would  improve  apace  :  That  arts  and  letters 
would  grov/  to  great  perfection  :  That  there  would  be  a 


[Dial.  V.]     MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  227 

happy  birth  of  genius  :  Of  all  which  things  he  fpoke,  as 
he  faith  himfelf,   in  a  prophetic  ftile. 

Cri. — And  yet,  notwithllanding  the  prophetical  predic- 
tions of  this  critic,  I  do  not  find  that  any  fcience  hath 
throve  among  us  of  late,  fo  much  as  the  Minute  Philofo- 
phy.  In  this  kind,  it  mud  be  confeiied,  we  have  had 
many  notable  productions.  But  whether  they  are  fuch 
mafter-pieces  for  good  writing,  I  leave  to  be  determined 
by  their  readers. 

XXIII.  In  the  mean  time  I  mufl:  beg  to  be  excufed,  if 
I  cannot  believe  your  great  man  on  his  bare  word,  when 
he  v/ould  have  us  think,  that  ignorance  and  ill  tafte  are 
owing  to  the  chriftian  religion  or  the  clergy,  it  being  my 
fincere  opinion,  that  whatever  learning  or  knowledge  we 
have  among  us,  is  derived  from  that  order.  If  thofe, 
who  are  fo  fagacious  at  difcovering  a  mote  in  other  eyes, 
would  but  purge  their  own,  I  believe  they  might  eafily 
fee  this  truth.  For  what  but  religion  could  kindle  and 
preferve  a  fpirit  towards  learning,  in  fuch  a  northern 
rough  people  ?  Greece  produced  men  of  active  and  fubtile 
genius.  The  public  conventions  and  emulations  of 
their  cities  forwarded  that  genius  :  And  their  natural  cu- 
riofity  was  amufed  and  excited  by  learned  converfations, 
in  their  public  walks,  and  gardens,  and  porticoes.  Our 
genius  leads  to  amufements  of  a  grofler  kind  :  We  breathe 
a  grofler  and  a  colder  air  :  And  that  curiofity  which  was 
general  in  the  Athenians,  and  the  gratifying  of  which  was 
their  chief  recreation,  is  among  our  people  of  fafhion 
treated  like  affeCtation,  and,  as  fuch,  banifhed  from  polite 
afiemblies  and  places  of  refort :  And  without  doubt 
would,  in  a  little  time,  be  banifhed  the  country  j  If  it  were 
not  for  the  great  refervoirs  of  learning,  where  thofe  for- 
maliflis,  pedants,  and  bearded  boys,  as  your  profound 
critic  calls  them,  are  maintained  by  the  liberality  and  pi- 
ety of  our  predccelTors.     For  it  is  as  evident  that  religion 


^28  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

was  the  caufe  of  thofe  feminaries,  as  It  is  that  they  are 
the  caufe  or  fource  of  all  the  learning  and  tafte  which  is 
to  be  found,  even  in  thofe  very  men  who  are  the  declared 
enemies  of  our  religion  and  public  foundations.  Every 
one,  who  knows  any  thing,  knows  we  are  indebted  for 
our  learning  to  the  Greek  and  Latin  tongues.  This  thofe 
fevere  cenfors  will  readily  grant.  Perhaps  they  may  not 
be  fo  ready  to  grant,  what  all  men  muft  fee,  that  we  are 
indebted  for  thofe  tongues  to  our  religion.  What  elfe 
could  have  made  foreign  and  dead  languages  in  fuch  re- 
queft  among  us  I  V/hat  could  have  kept  in  being  and 
handed  them  down  to  our  times,  through  fo  many  dark 
ages,  in  which  the  world  was  wafted  and  disfigured  by 
wars  and  violence  ?  What,  but  a  regard  to  the  holy  fcrip- 
tjures,  and  theological  writings  of  the  fathers  and  doc- 
tors of  the  church  ?  And,  in  faO.',  do  we  not  find  that  the 
learning  of  thofe  times  was  folely  in  the  hands  of  ecclefi- 
aftics  ;  that  they  alone  lighted  the  lamp  in  fucceffion  one 
from  another,  and  tranfmitted  it  down  to  after-ages  ;  and 
that  ancient  books  were  colle£l:ed  and  preferved  in  their 
colleges  and  feminaries,  when  all  love  and  remembrance 
of  polite  arts  and  ftudies  was  extinguiftied  among  the  lai- 
ty, whofe  ambition  intirely  turned  to  arms  ? 

XXIV.  Alc. — There  is,  I  muft  needs  fay,  one  fort  of 
learning  undoubtedly  of  chriftian  original,  and  peculiar 
to  the  univerfities  ;  where  our  youth  fpend  feveral  years  in 
acquiring  that  myfterious  jargon  of  fcholafticlfm,  than 
which  there  could  never  have  been  contrived  a  more  ef- 
fectual method,  to  perplex  and  confound  human  under- 
ftanding.  It  is  true,  gentlemen  are  untaught  by  the  world 
what  they  have  been  taught  at  the  college  :  but  then  their 
time  is  doubly  loft. 

Cri. — But  what  If  this  fcholaftic  learning  was  not  of 
chriftian,  but  of  mahometan  original,  being  derived  from 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  229 

the  Arabs?  And  what  if  this  grievance  of  gentlemen's 
fpending  feveral  years  in  learning  and  unlearning  this  jar- 
gon, be  all  grimace,  and  a  fpecimen  only  of  the  truth  and 
candour  of  certain  Minute  Phiiofophers,  who  raife  great 
invecS^ives  from  flight  occafions,  and  judge  too  often  with- 
out inquiring.  Surely  it  would  be  no  fuch  deplorable  lofs 
of  time,  if  a  young  gentleman  fpent  a  few  months  upon 
that  fo  much  defpifed  and  decried  art  of  logic,  a  furfeit 
of  which  is  by  no  means  the  prevailing  nufance  of  this 
age.  It  is  one  thing  to  wafte  one's  time  in  learning  and 
unlearning  the  barbarous  terms,  wiredrawn  diftin^tions, 
and  prolix  fophiftry  of  the  fchooimen  ;  and  another  to 
attam  fome  exaflnefs  in  defigning  and  arguing  :  Things 
perhaps  not  altogether  beneath  the  dignity  even  of  a  Mi- 
nute Philofopher.  There  was  indeed  a  tim.e,  when  logic 
was  confidered  as  its  own  obje£t  :  And  that  art  of  rea- 
ibning,  inflead  of  being  transferred  to  things,  turned  alto- 
gether upon  words  and  abftra6tions :  Which  produced  a 
fort  of  leprofy  in  all  parts  of  knowledge,  corrupting  and 
converting  them  into  hollow  verbal  difputations  in  a  mod 
impure  dialedt.  But  thofe  times  are  pafTed  :  And  that 
which  had  been  cultivated  as  the  principal  learning  for 
fome  ages,  is  now  confidered  in  another  light :  And  by 
no  means  makes  that  figure  in  the  univerfities,  or  bears 
that  part  in  the  ftudies  of  young  gentlemen  educated  there, 
which  is  pretended  by  thofe  admirable  reformers  of  reli- 
gion and  learning,  the  Minute  Phiiofophers. 

XXV.  But  who  are  they  that  encouraged  and  produ- 
ced the  reftoration  of  arts  and  polite  learning  ?  What 
Ihare  had  the  Minute  Phiiofophers  in  this  affair  ?  Matthias 
CorvinuSy  king  of  Hungary,  AlphonfuSy  king  of  Naples, 
Cofmus  de  Medicisy  PictiSy  of  Mirandu/a,  and  other  princes 
and  great  men,  famous  for  learning  themfelves,  and  for 
encouraging  it  in   others,    with   a  munificent  liberality, 


230  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

were  neither  Turks  nor  Gentiles,  nor  Minute  Philofo- 
phers.  Who  was  it  that  tranfplantcd  and  revived  the 
Greek  language  and  authors,  and  with  them  all  polite  arts 
and  literature  in  the  weft  ?  Was  it  not  chiefly  Bejfarion^ 
a  cardinal,  Marcus  Mufurus^  an  archbifliop,  Theodore 
Gazay  a  private  clergyman  ?  Has  there  been  a  greater 
and  more  renowned  patron,  and  reftorer  of  elegant  ftudies 
in  every  kind,  fince  the  days  of  Augujlus  Cafar,  than  Leo^ 
the  tenth  pope  of  Rome  ?  Did  any  writers  approach  the 
purity  of  the  Clajfics  nearer  than  the  cardinals,  Bemhus 
and  Sadoletusy  or  than  the  bifhops,  Jovius  and  Vida  P  not 
to  mention  an  endlefs  number  of  ingenious  ecciefiaftics, 
who  flourifhed  on  the  other  fide  of  the  j^Ips,  in  the  gold- 
en age  (as  the  Italians  call  it)  of  Leo  the  tenth,  and 
wrote,  both  in  their  own  language  and  the  Lathi,  after 
the  befl:  models  of  antiquity.  It  is  true,  this  firft 
recovery  of  learning  preceded  the  Reformation,  and  light- 
ed the  way  to  it  :  but  the  religious  controverfies,  which 
enfued,  did  wonderfully  propagate  and  improve  it  in  all 
parts  of  Chriftendom.  And  furely  the  Church  of  Efjg^ 
land  is,  at  leaft,  as  well  calculated  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  learning,  as  that  of  Rome.  Experience  confirms 
this  obfervation  ;  and  I  believe  the  Minute  Philofophers 
will  not  be  fo  partial  to  Rome  as  to  deny  it. 

Alc. — It  is  impoflfible  your  account  of  learning  beyond 
the  Alps  (hould  be  true.  The  noble  critic  in  my  hands, 
having  complimented  the  French^  to  whom  he  allows 
fome  good  authors,  afferts  of  other  foreigners,  particularly 
the  Italians,  "  That  they  may  be  reckoned  no  better  than 
the  corrupters  of  true  learning  and  erudition." 

Cri.— With  fome  forts  of  critics,  dogmatical  cenfures 
and  conclufions  are  not  always  the  refult  of  perfe£l:  know- 
ledge, or  exact  inquiry  :  And  if  the  harrange  upon  tafte, 
truth  of  art,  ajuft  piece,  grace  of  ftile,  attic  elegance, 
and  fuch  topics,  they  are  to  be  underftood  only  as  thofe 


[Dial,  v.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  231 

that  would  fain  talk  themfelves  into  reputation  for  cour- 
age. To  hear  Thrafyjjiachus  fpeak  of  refentment,  duels, 
and  points  of  honor,  one  would  tliink  him  ready  to  burll 
with  valour. 

Lys. — Whatever  merit  this  writer  may  have  as  a  demoHfti- 
er,  I  always  thought  he  had  a  very  little  as  a  builder.  It 
is  natural  for  carelefs  writers  to  run  into  faults  they 
never  think  of :  But  for  an  exaft  and  fevere  critic  to  {hoot 
his  bolt  at  random,  is  unpardonable.  If  he,  who  pro- 
fefles,  at  every  turn,  an  high  efteem  for  polite  writing, 
fliould  yet  defpife  thofe  who  moft  excel  in  it,  one  would  be 
tempted  to  fufpe£t  his  tafte.  But  if  the  very  man,  v/ho, 
of  all  men,  talk  moft  about  art  and  tafte,  and  critical 
fkill,  and  would  be  thought  to  have  moft  confidered 
thofe  points,  (hould  often  deviate  from  his  own  rules, 
into  the  falfe  fublime,  or  the  mauvaife  plafanterie  j  what 
reafonabk  man  would  follow  the  tafte  and  judgment  of 
fuch  a  guide,  or  be  feduced  to  climb  the  fteep  afcent,  or 
tread  in  the  rugged  paths  of  virtue,  on  his  recommenda- 
lion  ?  . 

XXVI.  Alc. — But  to  return,  methinks  Crito  makes 
no  compliment  to  the  genius  of  his  country,  in  fuppcfmg 
that  Englifimen  might  not  have  wrought  out  of  themfelves, 
all  art  and  fcience,  and  good  tafte  ;  without  being  behold- 
en to  church,  or  univerfities,  6r  ancient  languages. 

Cri.  -What  might  have  been,  is  only  conjecture.— 
What  has  been,  it  is  not  difficult  to  know.  That  there  is 
a  vein  in  Britain^  of  as  rich  an  ore  as  ever  was  in  any 
country,  I  will  not  deny  ;  but  it  lies  deep,  and  will  coft 
pains  to  come  at :  and  extraordinary  pains  require  an  ex- 
traordinary motive.  As  for  what  lies  next  the  furface,  it 
feems  but  indifferent,  being  neither  fo  good,  nor  in  fuch 
plenty,  as  in  fome  other  countries.  It  was  the  compar- 
ifon  of  an  ingenious  Florentine^  that  the  celebrated  poems 


232  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

of  TaJTo  and  Ariojlo  are  like  two  gardens,  the  one  of  cucum- 
bers, the  other  of  melons.  In  the  one  you  fhall  find  few 
bad,  but  the  beft  are  not  a  very  good  fruit  \  in  the  other 
much  the  greater  part  are  good  for  nothing,  but  thofe  that 
are  good  are  excellent.  Perhaps  the  fame  comparifon 
may  hold  good  between  the  Englijh  and  fome  of  their 
neighbors. 

Alc. — But  fuppofe  we  fhould  grant,  that  the  chriftlan 
religion  and  its  feminaries  might  have  been  of  ufe,  in  pre- 
ferving  or  retrieving  polite  arts  and  letters  ;  what  then  ? 
Will  you  make  this  an  argument  of  its  truth  ? 

Cri. — I  will  make  it  an  argument  of  prejudice  and  in- 
gratitude in  thofe  Minute  Philofophers,  who  obje£l:  dark- 
nefs,  ignorance,  and  rudenefs,  as  an  efFe£t  of  that  very 
thing,  which,  above  ail  others,  hath  enlightened  and  ci- 
vilized, and  embellifhed  their  country  :  which  is  as  truly 
indebted  to  it  for  arts  and  fciences  (which  nothing  but  re- 
ligion was  ever  known  to  have  planted  in  fuch  a  latitude) 
as  for  that  general  fenfe  of  virtue  and  humanity,  and  the 
belief  of  a  Providence  and  future  ftate,  which  all  the  ar- 
gumentation of  IMinute  Piiilofophers  hath  not  yet  been  able 
to  abolifh. 

XXVII.  Alc. — It  is  ftrange  you  fhould  ftill  perfift  to 
argue,  as  if  all  the  gentlemen  of  our  fe£t  were  enemies  to 
virtue,  and  downrigh  atheiits  :  Though  I  have  aflured 
you  of  the  contrary,  and  that  we  have  among  us  feveral, 
wh  >  profefs  tbemfelves  in  the  interefls  of  virtue  and  natu- 
ral religion,  and  have  alfo  declared,  that  I  myfelf  do  now 
argue  upon  that  foot. 

Cri. — How  can  you  pretend  to  be  in  the  intereft  of 
natural  religion,  and  yet  be  profeffed  enemies  of  the  chrif- 
ftian,  the  only  cfliabHfhed  religion  which  includes  what 
ever  is  excellent  in  the  natural,  and  which  is  the  only 
means  of  making  thofe  precepts,  duties,  and  notions,  fo 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  233 

called,  become  reverenced  tliroughoiit  the  world  ?  Would 
not  he  be  thought  weak  or  infincere,  who  (hould  go 
about  to  perfuade  people,  that  he  was  much  in  the  inter- 
efts  of  an  earthly  monarch  ;  that  he  loved  and  admired 
his  government ;  when  at  the  fame  time  he  (hewed  him- 
felf  on  all  occafions,  a  mod  bitter  enemy  of  thofe  very 
perfons,  and  methods,  which,  above  all  others,  contribu- 
ted moft  to  his  fervice,  and  to  make  his  dignity  known 
and  revered,  his  laws  obferved,  or  his  dominion  extended  ? 
And  is  not  this  what  Minute  Philofophers  do,  while  they 
fet  up  for  advocates  of  God  and  religion,  and  yet  do  all 
they  can  to  difcredit  chriftians  and  their  worfhip  ?  It  muft 
be  owned,  indeed,  that  you  ar^ue  againft  chriftianity,  as 
the  caufe  of  evil  and  wickednefs  in  the  world  :  But  with 
fuch  arguments,  and  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  might  equally 
prove  the  fame  thing  of  civil  government,  of  meat  and 
drink,  of  every  faculty  and  profeffion,  of  learning,  of 
eloquence,  and  even  of  human  reafon  itfelf.  After  all, 
even  thofe  of  your  fe£b  who  allow  themfelves  to  be  called 
deifts,  if  their  notions  are  thoroughly  examined,  will,  I 
fear,  be  found  to  include  little  of  religion  in  them.  As 
for  the  Providence  of  God,  watching  over  the  condu£l  of 
human  agents,  and  difpenfmg  bleflings  or  chailifements, 
the  immortality  of  the  foul,  a  final  judgment,  and  future 
ilate  of  rewards  and  punifhm.ents ;  how  few,  if  any,  of 
your  free-thinkers  have  made  it  their  endeavor  to  poflefs 
men's  minds  with  a  ferious  fenfe  of  thofe  great  points  of 
natural  religion !  How  many,  on  the  contrary,  endeavor 
to  render  the  belief  of  them  doubtful  or  ridiculous  !  It 
muft  be  owned,  there  may  be  found  men,  that,  without 
any  regard  to  thefe  points,  make  fome  pretence  to  reli- 
gion :  But  who  can  think  them  in  earneft  ?  You  (hall 
fometimes  fee,  the  very  ringleaders  of  vice  and  profane- 
nefs  write  like  men,  that  would  be  thought  to  have  virtue 
and  piety  at  heart.     This  may  perhaps  prove  them  incon- 

F  f 


234  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

(iftcnt  uTiters,  but  can  never  prove  them  to  be  innocent. 
When  a  man's  declared  principles  and  peculiar  tenets  are 
utterly  fubverfive  of  thofe  things  -,  whatever  fuch  a  one 
faith  of  virtue,  piety,  and  religion,  will  be  underftood 
as  mere  difcretion  and  compliance  with  common  forms. 

Lys. — To  fpeak  the  truth,  I,  for  my  part,  had  never 
any  liking  to  religion  of  any  kind,  either  revealed  or  un- 
revealed  :  And  I  dare  venture  to  fay  the  fame  for  thofe 
gentlemen  of  our  fe61:  that  I  am  acquainted  with,  having 
never  obferved  them  guilty  of  fo  much  meannefs,  as  even 
to  mention  the  name  of  God  with  reverence,  or  fpeak 
with  the  leaft  regard  of  piety,  or  any  fort  of  worfhip. 
There  may,  perhaps,  be  found  one  or  two  formal  preten- 
ders to  enthufiafm  and  devotion,  in  the  way  of  natural 
religion,  who  laughed  at  chriftians  for  publifhing  hymns 
and  meditations,  while  they  plagued  the  world  with  as 
bad  of  their  own :  But  the  fprightly  men  make  a  jell  of 
all  this.  It  feems  to  us  mere  pedantry.  Sometimes,  in- 
deed, in  good  company  one  may  hear  a  word  dropt  in 
commendation  of  honor  and  good-nature  :  But  the  for- 
mer of  thefe,  by  ConmiJfeurSy  is  always  underftood  to 
mean  nothing  but  fafhion  :  As  the  latter  is  nothing  but 
temper  and  conftitution,  which  guides  a  man  juft  as  appe- 
tite doth  a  brute. 

XXVIII.  And  after  all  thefe  argument^  and  notions, 
which  beget  one  another  without  end,  to  take  the  matter 
fhort  :  Neither  I  nor  my  friends,  for  our  fouls,  could  ever 
comprehend,  why  man  might  not  do  very  well,  and  gov- 
ern himfelf  without  any  religion  at  all,  as  well  as  a  brute, 
which  is  thought  the  fiUier  creature  of  the  two.  Have 
brutes  inftin£t:s,  fenfes,  appetites,  and  paflions,  to  fteer 
and  conduft  them  ?  So  have  men,  and  reafon,  over  and 
above,  to  confult  upon  occafion.  From  thefe  premifes  we 
conclude,  the  road  of  human  life  is  fufficiently  lighted 
without  religion. 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  23^ 

Cri. — Brutes  having  but  fmall  power,  limited  to  things 
prefent  or  particular,  are  fufficlently  oppofed  and  kept  in 
order,  by  the  force  or  faculties  of  other  animals,  and  the 
Ikill  of  man,  without  confclence  or  religion  :  But  con- 
fclence  Is  a  neceffary  balance  to  human  reafon,  a  faculty 
of  fuch  mighty  extent  and  power,  efpeclally  toward  mif- 
chief.  Befides,  other  animals  are,  by  the  law  of  their  na- 
ture, determined  to  one  certain  end,  or  kind  of  being, 
without  inclination  or  means  either  to  deviate  or  go  beyond 
it.  But  man  hath  in  him  a  will  and  higher  principle  ; 
by  virtue  whereof  he  may  purfue  different  or  even  contra- 
ry ends  ;  and  either  fall  fhort  of,  or  exceed  the  perfeftion 
natural  to  his  fpecies  In  this  world  ;  as  he  is  capable,  ci- 
ther by  giving  up  the  reins  to  his  fenfual  appetites,  of 
degrading  himfelf  Into  the  condition  of  brutes,  or  elfe, 
by  well  ordering  and  improving  his  mind,  of  being  tranf- 
formed  into  the  fimilitude  of  angels.  Man  alone,  of  all 
animals,  hath  underftanding  to  know  his  God.  What 
avalleth  this  knowledge,  unlefs  it  be  to  enoble  man,  and 
ralfe  him  to  an  imitation  and  participation  of  the  Divinity  ? 
Or  what  could  fuch  enoblement  avail,  if  to  end  with  this 
life  ?  Or  how  can  thefe  things  take  effedt,  without  reli- 
gion ?  But  the  points  of  vice  and  virtue,  man  and  beaft, 
fenfe  and  intellect,  have  been  already  at  large  canvaffed. 
What !  Lyftcles,  would  you  have  us  go  back  where  we 
were  three  or  four  days  ago  ? 

Lys. — By  no  means  :  I  had  much  rather  go  forward, 
and  make  an  end  as  foon  as  poflible.  But  to  fave  trouble, 
give  me  leave  to  tell  you,  once  for  all,  that,  fay  what  you 
can,  you  (hall  never  perfuade  me,  fo  many  ingenious  agree- 
able men  are  in  the  wrong,  and  a  pack  of  fnarling  four 
bigots  in  the  right. 

XXIX.  Cri.— -O  Lyficlesy  I  neither  look  for  religion 
among  bigots,  nor  reafon  among  libertines  j  each  kind 


2q6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  V.] 


difgrace  their  feveral  pretenfions :  the  one  owning  no  re- 
gard even  to  the  plained  and  moft  important  truths, 
"U'hiic  the  others  exert  iin  angry  zeal  for  points  of  leaft 
concern.  And  farely  whatever  there  is  of  filiy,  narrow, 
and  uncharitable  in  the  bigot,  the  fame  is  in  great  meafure 
to  be  imputed  to  the  conceited  ignorance,  and  petulant 
profanenefs  of  the  Ubertine.  And  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely, 
that  as  Hbcrtines  make  bigots,  fo  bigots  (liould  make  liber- 
tines, the  extreme  of  one  party  being  ever  obferved  to 
produce  a  contrary  extreme  of  another.  And  although, 
while  thefe  adveriarles  draw  the  rope  of  contention,  rea- 
fon  and  religion  are  often  called  upon  :  Yet  are  they  per^ 
haps  very  little  confidered  or  concerned  in  the  ccnteft. 
Lyficlesy  injdead  of  anfwering  Critoy  turned  fhort  upon 
Alciphron,  It  was  always  my  opinion,  faid  he,  that  no- 
thing could  be  fillier  than  to  think  of  deftroying  chriftian- 
ity,  by  crying  up  natural  religion.  Whoever  thinks  highly 
of  the  one,  can  never,  with  any  confiffcency,  think  mean- 
ly of  the  other  ;  it  being  very  evident,  that  natural  reli- 
gion, without  revealed,  never  v/as  and  never  can  be  ef- 
tabliflied  or  received  any  where,  but  in  the  brains  of  a  few 
idle  fpeculative  men.  I  was  aware  what  your  conceflions 
would  come  to.  The  belief  of  God,  virtue,  a  future 
fcate,  and  fuch  fine  notions  are,  as  every  one  may  fee 
with  half  an  eye,  the  very  bafis  and  corner-ftone  of  the 
chriftian  religion.  Lay  but  this  foundation  for  them  to 
build  on,  and  you  Ihall  foon  fee  what  fuperftru6lures  our 
men  of  divinity  will  raife  from  it.  The  truth  and  impor- 
tance of  thofe  points  once  admitted,  a  man  need  be  no 
conjurer  to  prove,  upon  that  principle,  the  excellency  and 
ufefulnefs  of  the  chriftian  religion  :  And  then,  to  be  fure, 
there  muft  be  priefts  to  teach  and  propagate  this  ufeful 
religion  :  And  if  priefts,  a  regular  fubordination,  without 
doubt,  in  this  worthy  fociety,  and  a  provifion  for  their 
maintenance  :  Such   as  may  enable  them  to   perform   all 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  237 

their  rites  and  ceremonies  with  decency,  and  keep'  their 
facred  chara6i:er  above  contempt.  And  the  plain  confe- 
quence  of  all  this  is,  a  confederacy  between  the  prince  and 
the  priefthood,  to  fubdue  the  people  :  So  we  have  let  in  at 
once  upon  us,  a  long  train  of  ecclefiaftical  evils,  prieft- 
craft,  hierarchy,  inquifition.  We  have  loft  our  liberty 
and  property,  and  put  the  nation  to  vaft  expence,  only  to 
purchafe  bridles  and  faddles,  for  their  own  mouths  and 
their  own  backs. 

XXX.  This  being  fpoke  with  fome  fharpnefs  of  tone, 
and  an  upbraiding  air,  touched  Alciphron  to  the  quick, 
who  replied  nothing,  but  Iliewed  confufion  in  his  looks. 
Crito  fmiling,  looked  at  Euphranor  and  me,  then  cafting 
an  eye  on  the  two  philofophers,  fpoke  as  follows  :  If  I 
may  be  admitted  to  interpofe  good  offices,  for  prevent- 
ing a  rupture  between  old  friends  and  brethren,  in  opinion, 
I  would  obferve,  that  in  this  charge  of  Lyficlesy  there  is 
fomething  right,  and  fomething  wrong.  It  feems  right 
to  aflert  as  he  doth,  that  the  real  belief  of  natural  rehgion 
will  lead  a  man  to  approve  of  revealed  :  But  it  is  as  wrong 
to  ailert,  that  inquifitions,  tyranny,  and  ruin,  muft  fol- 
low from  thence.  Your  free-thinkers,  without  offence 
be  it  faid,  feem  to  miftake  their  talent.  They  imagine 
ftrongly,  but  reafon  weakly  \  mighty  at  exaggeration, 
and  jejune  in  argunient  !  Can  no  method  be  found,  to 
relieve  them  from  the  terror  of  that  fierce  and  bloody  ani- 
mal, an  En^liJJj  parfon  .?  Will  it  not  fuffice  to  pare  his  tal- 
ons without  chopping  off  his  fingers  .''  Then  they  are  fuch 
wonderful  patriots  for  liberty  and  property  !  When  I  hear 
thefe  two  words  in  the  mouth  of  a  Minute  Philofopher,  I 
am  put  in  mind  of  the  Tejle  di  Ferro  at  Rome.  His  holi- 
nefs,  it  feems,  not  having  power  to  affign  penfions  on 
Spaniflj  benefices  to  any  but  natives  of  Spairiy  always  keeps 
at  Rome  two  Spaniardsy  called   Tefte  di  Ferro,,  who  have 


238  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

the  name  of  all  fuch  penfions,  but  not  the  profit,  which 
goes  to  Italians.  As  we  may  fee  every  day,  both  things 
and  notions  placed  to  the  account  of  liberty  and  property, 
which  in  reality  neither  have,  nor  are  meant  to  have,  any 
(hare  in  them.  "What !  Is  it  impoffible  for  a  man  to  be  a 
chriftian,  but  he  muft  be  a  flave  ?  Or  a  clergyman,  but  he 
muft  have  the  principles  of  an  inquifitor  ?  I  am  far  from 
fcreeningand  juflifying  appetite  of  domination  or  tyrannical 
power  in  ccclefiaftics.  Some,  who  have  been  guilty  in  that 
refpecS:,  have  forely  paid  for  it,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  they 
always  will.  But  having  laid  the  fury  and  folly  of  the 
ambitious  prelate,  is  it  not  time  to  look  about  and  fpy 
whether,  on  the  other  hand,  fome  evil  may  not  pofllbly 
accrue  to  the  ftate,  from  the  overflowing  zeal  of  an  inde- 
pendent whig  ?  This  I  may  affirm,  without  being  at  any 
pains  to  prove  it,  that  the  worft  tyranny  this  nation  ever 
felt,  was  from  the  hands  of  patriots  of  that  ftamp. 

XXXI.  Lys. — I  do  not  know.  Tyranny  is  a  harfti 
word,  and  fometimes  mifapplied.  When  fpirited  men 
of  independent  maxims  create  a  ferment,  or  make  a 
a  change  in  the  ftate  ;  he  that  lofeth  is  apt  to  confider 
things  in  one  light,  and  he  that  wins  in  another.  In  the 
mean  time,  this  is  certainly  good  poficy,  that  we  fliould 
be  frugal  of  our  money,  and  referve  it  for  better  ufes, 
than  to  expend  on  the  church  and  religion. 

Cri. — Surely  the  old  apologue  of  the  belly  and  mem- 
bers need  not  be  repeated  to  fuch  knowing  men.  It  (hould 
feem  as  needlefs  to  obferve,  that  all  other  ftates,  which 
ever  made  any  figure  in  the  world  for  wifdom  and  polite- 
nefs,  have  thought  learning  defcrved  encouragement,  as 
well  as  the  fword  :  that  grants  for  religious  ufes  were  as 
fitting  as  for  knights  fervice  :  and  foundations  for  propa- 
gating piety,  as  necelTary  to  the  public  welfare  and  de- 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  239 

fence,  as  either  civil  or  military  eftablilhments.  In  for- 
mer times,  when  the  clergy  were  a  body  much  more  nu- 
merous, wealthy,  and  powerful  :  when  in  their  Hate  of 
celibacy  they  gave  no  pledges  to  the  public  :  when  they 
enjoyed  great  exemptions  and  privileges  above  their  fel- 
low fubjects  :  when  they  owned  obedience  to  a  foreign 
potentate,  the  cafe  was  evidently  and  widely  different 
from  what  it  is  in  our  days.  And  the  not  difcerning, 
or  not  owning  this  difference,  is  no  proof  either  of  faga- 
city  or  honefty  in  the  Minute  Philofophers.  But  I  afk, 
who  are  at  this  expenfe,  and  what  is  this  expenfe  fo 
much  complained  of  ? 

Lys. — As  if  you  had  never  heard  of  church-lands  and 
tithes  ! 

Cri. — But  I  would  fain  know,  how  they  can  be  charg- 
ed as  an  expenfe,  either  upon  the  nation,  or  private  men. 
Where  nothing  is  exported,  the  nation  lofeth  nothing : 
and  it  is  all  one  to  the  public,  whether  money  circulates 
at  home  through  the  hands  of  a  vicar  or  a  fquire.  Then 
as  for  private  men,  who,  for  want  of  thought,  are  full 
of  complaint  about  the  payment  of  tithes ;  can  any  man 
juflly  complain  of  it  as  a  tax,  that  he  pays  what  never 
belonged  to  him  ?  The  tenent  rents  his  farm  with  this 
condition,  and  pays  his  landlord  proportionably  lefs,  than 
if  his  farm  had  been  exempt  from  it  :  So  he  lofeth  no- 
thing ;  it  being  all  one  to  him  whether  he  pays  his  paf- 
tor  or  his  landlord.  The  landlord  cannot  complain  that 
he  has  not  what  he  hath  no  right  to,  either  by  grant,  pur- 
chafe,  or  inheritance.  This  is  the  cafe  of  tithes  :  and  as 
for  the  church-lands,  he  furely  can  be  no  free-thinker, 
nor  any  thinker  at  all,  who  doth  not  fee  that  no  man,, 
whether  noble,  gentle,  or  plebeian,  hath  any  fort  of 
right  or  claim  to  them,  which  he  may  not,  with  equal 
juftice,  pretend  to  all  the  lands  in  the  kingdom. 

Lys. — At  prefent  indeed  we  have  no  right,  and  that 
is  our  complaint. 


240  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

Cri. — You  would  have  then  what  you  have  no  right 
to. 

Lys. — Not  fo  neither  :  what  we  would  have  is,  firft  a 
right  conveyed  by  law,  and,  in  the  next  place,  the  lands 
by  virtue  of  fuch  right. 

Cri. — In  order  to  this,  it  might  be  expedient,  in  the 
firft  place,  to  get  on  a£t  paiTed  for  excommunicating  from 
all  civil  rights  every  man  that  is  a  chriftian,  a  fcholar, 
and  wears  a  black  coat,  as  guilty  of  three  capital  offences 
againft  the  public  weal  of  this  realm. 

Lys. — To  deal  frankly,  I  think  it  would  be  an  excel- 
lent good  aft. 

Cri. — It  would  provide  at  once  for  feveral  deferving 
men,  rare  artificers  in  wit,  and  argument,  and  ridicule  ! 
who  have,  too  many  of  them,  but  fmall  fortunes,  with  a 
great  arrear  of  merit  towards  their  country,  which  they 
have  fo  long  enlightened  and  adorned  gratis. 

EupH. — Pray  tell  me,  Lyficles,  are  not  the  clergy  le- 
gally pofleffed  of  their  lands  and  emoluments  ? 

Lys. — Nobody  denies  it. 

EupH. — Have  they  not  been  poffefled  of  them  from 
time  immemorial  } 

Lys. — ^This  too  I  grant. 

EuPH. — They  claim  then  by  law  and  ancient  prefcrip- 
tion. 

Lys. — They  dc. 

EupH. — Have  the  oldell  families  of  the  nobility  a  bet- 
ter title  ? 

Lys. — I  believe  not.  It  grieves  me  to  fee  many  over- 
grown eftates  in  the  hands  of  ancient  families,  on  account 
of  no  other  merit,  but  what  they  brought  with  them  into 
the  world. 

EuPH. — May  you  not  then  as  well  take  their  lands 
too,  and  beftow  them  on  the  Minute  Philofophers,  as 
perfons  of  more  merit  } 


tDfAL.  v.]     MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  2^1 

Lys. — So  much  the  better.  This  enlarges  our  view, 
and  opens  a  new  fcene :  It  is  very  delightful,  in  the  con- 
templation of  truth,  to  behold  how  one  theory  grows  out 
of  another. 

Alc. — Old  P^tus  ufed  to  fay,  that  if  the  clergy  were 
deprived  of  their  hire,  we  fhouid  lofe  the  moft  popular 
argument  againft  them. 

Lys. — But  fo  long  as  men  live  by  religion,  there  will 
never  be  wanting  teachers  and  writers  in  defence  of  it. 

Cri. — And  how  can  you  be  fure  they  would  be  want- 
ing, though  they  did  not  live  by  it,  fince  it  is  well  known 
chriflianity  had  its  defenders,  even  when  men  died  by  it  ^ 

Lys. — One  thing  I  know, — there  is  a  rare  nurfery  of 
young  plants  growing  up,  who  have  been  carefully  guard- 
ed againft  every  air  of  prejudice,  and  fprinkled  with  the 
dew  of  our  choiceft  principles  :  mean  while,  wifhes  are 
wearifome  :  and,  to  our  infinite  regret,  nothing  can  be 
done,  fo  long  as  there  remains  any  prejudice  in  favor  of 
old  cuftoms,  and  laws,  and  national  conftitutions,  which, 
at  bottom,  we  very  well  know,  and  can  demonftrate,  to 
be  only  words  and  notions. 

XXXII.  But  I  can  never  hope,  Cr'iio,  to  make  you 
think  my  fchemes  reafonable.  We  reafon  each  right  up- 
on his  own  principles,  and  fnall  never  agree  till  we  quit 
our  principles,  which  cannot  be  done  by  reafoning.  We 
all  talk  of  juft,  and  right,  and  wrong,  and  public  good, 
and  all  thofe  things.  The  names  may  be  the  fame,  but 
the  notions  and  conclufions  very  diiterent,  perhaps  dia- 
metrically oppoute  :  and  yet  each  may  admit  of  clear 
proofs,  and  be  inferred  by  the  fame  way  of  reafoning. 
For  inilance,  the  gentlemen  of  the  club  which  I  frequent, 
define  man  to  be  a  fociable  animal :  confequently  we  ex- 
clude from  this  difinition  all  thofe  human  creatures,  of 
whom  it  may  be  faid,  v/e  had  rather  have  their  room 

G     rr 


242  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

than  their  company.  And  fuch,  though  wearing  the 
ihape  of  man,  are  to  be  efteemed  in  all  account  of  reafon, 
not  as  men,  but  only  as  human  creatures.  Hence  it 
plainly  follows,  that  men  of  pleafure,  men  of  humour, 
and  men  of  wit,  are  alone  properly  and  truly  to  be  con- 
iidered  as  men.  Whatever,  therefore,  conduceth  to  the 
emolument  of  fuch,  is  for  the  good  of  mankind,  and 
confequently  very  juft  and  lawful,  although  feeming  to  be 
attended  with  lofs  or  damage- to  other  creatures  :  inafmuch 
as  no  real  injury  can  be  done  in  life  or  property  to  thofe, 
who  know  not  how  to  enjoy  them.  This  we  liold  for 
clear  and  well  conne<5led  reafoning.  But  others  may 
view  things  in  another  light,  affign  different  definitions, 
draw  other  inferences,  and  perhaps  confider,  what  we 
fuppofe  the  top  and  flower  of  the  creation,  only  as  a  wart 
or  excrefcence  of  human  nature.  From  all  which  there 
mud  enfue  a  very  different  fyftem  of  morals,  politics, 
rights,  and  notions.    * 

Cri. — If  you  have  a  mind  tfo  argue,  we  will  argue  :  If 
you  have  more  mind  to  j eft,  we  will  laugh  with  you. 

Lys. — —  ■ -'Ridentcm  d'lcere  verum 

^lid  vetat  P 

This  partition  of  our  kind  into  men  and  human  creatures, 
puts  me  in  mind  of  another  notion  broached  by  one  of  our 
club,  whom  we  ufed  to  call  the  Pythagorean. 

XXXIII.  He  made  a  threefold  partition  of  the  human 
fpecies,  into  birds,  beafts,  and  fifties,  being  of  opinion 
that  the  road  of  life  lies  upwards,  in  a  perpetual  afcent 
through  the  fcale  of  being  :  In  fuch  fort,  that  the  fouls  of 
infects,  after  death,  make  their  fecond  appearance  in  the 
(hape  of  perfe^:  animals,  birds,  beafts,  or  fifties  ;  which, 
upon  their  death,  are  preferred  into  human  bodies,  and, 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  243 

in  the  next  ftage,  into  beings  of  a  higher  and  more  psrfecl 
kind.  This  man  we  coniidered  at  firft  as  a  fort  of  here- 
tic; becaufe  his  fcheme  feemed  not  to  confilt  with  our 
fundamental  tenet,  the  mortahty  of  the  foul  :  But  he  juf- 
tified  the  notion  to  be  innocent,  inafniuch  as  it  included 
nothing  of  reward  or  punifliment,  and  was  not  proved  by 
any  argument,  which  fuppofed  or  implied  either  incorpo- 
real fpirit,  or  Providence,  being  only  inferred,  by  way  of 
analogy,  from  what  he  had  obferved  in  human  aiFairs, 
the  court,  the  church,  and  the  army;  v/herein  the  ten- 
dency is  always  upwards  from  lower  pofts  to  higher.  Ac- 
cording to  this  fyftem,  the  fifnes  are  thofe  men  who  fwim 
in  pleafure,  fuch  as  petits  matures,  bons  vivansy  and  honefc 
fellows.  The  beafts  are  dry,  drudging,  covetous, 
rapacious  folk,  and  all  thofe  adidled  to  care  and  bufinefs 
like  oxen,  and  other  dry  land  animals,  which  fpend  their 
lives  in  labor  and  fatigue.  The  birds  are  airy,  notional 
men,  enthufiafts,  projectors,  poets,  philofophers,  and 
fuch  like.  In  each  fpecies  every  individual  retaiifing  a 
tincSlure  of  his  former  flate,  which  conftitutes  what  is 
called  genius.  If  you  allc  me  which  fpecies  of  mankind 
I  like  beft,  I  anfwer,  the  flying  filh  :  that  is,  a  man  of 
animal  enjoyment,  v/ith  a  mixture  of  whim.  Thus  you 
fee  we  have  our  creeds  and  our  fyftems,  as  well  as  graver 
folks  :  with  this  difference,  that  they  are  not  ilrait-laced, 
but  fit  eafy,  to  be  flipped  off  or  on,  as  humour  or  occafion 
ferves.  And  now  I  can,  with  the  greateft  equinimity 
imaginable,  hear  my  opinions  argued  againft,  or  confuted. 

XXXrV.  Alc. — -It  were  to  be  wifiied  all  men  were  of 
that  mind.  But  you  fliall  find  a  fort  of  men,  whom  I 
need  not  name,  that  cannot  bear  with  the  leaft  temper,  to 
have  their  opinions  examined,  or  their  faults  cenfured. — 
They  are  againft  reafon,  becaufe  reafon  is  againft  them. 
For  our  parts,  we  are  all  for  liberty  of  confcience.     If 


244  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.l 

our  tenets  are  abfurd,  we  allov;^  them  to  be  freely  argued 
and  infpe^led  :  and,  by  a  parity  of  reafon,  we  might  hope 
to  be  allowed  the  fame  privilege,  with  refpe£t  to  the  opi- 
nions of  other  men. 

Cri. — O  Alciphron  1  Wares  that  will  not  bear  the 
light  are  juftly  to  be  fufpe6led.  Whatever,  therefore, 
moves  you  to  make  this  complaint,  take  my  word,  I  never 
will :  But  as  hitherto  I  have  allowed  your  reafon  its  full 
fcope,  fo  for  the  future  I  always  fliall.  And,  though  I 
cannot  approve  of  railing  or  declaiming,  not  even  in  my- 
felf,  whenever  you  have  fliewed  me  the  way  to  it  :  yet 
this  I  will  anfwer  for,  that  you  fhall  ever  be  allowed  to 
reafon  as  clofely  and  as  llrenuoufly  as  you  can.  But,  for 
the  love  of  truth,  be  candid,  and  do  not  fpend  your 
ilrength,  and  our  time,  in  points  of  no  fignificancy,  or 
foreign  to  the  purpofe,  or  agreed  between  us.  We  al- 
low that  tyranny  and  llavcry  are  bad  things  :  but  why 
iliould  we  apprehend  them  from  the  clergy  at  this  time  ? 
Rites  and  ceremonies,  we  own,  are  not  points  of  chief 
moment  in  religion  :  but  why  fhould  we  ridicule  things, 
in  their  own  nature,  at  lead  indifferent,  and  which  bear 
the  (tamp  of  fupreme  authority  ?  That  men,  in  divinity, 
as  well  as  other  fubjeds,  are  perplexed  with  ufelefs  dif- 
putes,  and  are  like  to  be  fo  as  long  as  the  world  iafts,  I 
freely  acknowledge  :  But  why  rnuft  all  the  human  weak- 
jicfs  and  millakes  of  clergymen  be  imputed  to  wicked  de- 
figns  ?  Why  indifcriminately  abufe  their  chara£l:er  and 
tenets  ?  Is  this  like  candor,  love  of  truth,  free-thinking  } 
It  is  granted  there  may  be  found,  now  and  then,  fpleen 
and  ill-breeding  in  the  clergy  :  But  are  not  the  famie  faults 
incident  to  Englifi  laymen,  of  a  retired  education  and 
country  life  ?  I  grant  there  is  infinite  futility  in  the 
fchoolmen  :  But  I  deny  that  a  volume  of  that  doth  fo 
much  mifchief,  as  a  page  of  Minute  Philofophy.  That 
weak  or  wicked  men  fhould^  by  favor  of  the  world,  creep 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  245 

into  power  and  high  fiations  in  the  church,  is  nothing 
wonderful :  and  that,  in  fuch  ftations,  they  fhould  behave 
like  themfelves,  is  natural  to  fuppofe.  But  all  the  while 
it  is  evident,  that  not  the  golpel,  but  the  world  ;  not  the 
fpirit,  but  the  flefh  ;  not  God,  but  the  devil,  puts  them  up- 
on their  unworthy  atchievements.  We  make  no  difficulty 
to  grant,  that  nothing  is  more  infamous  than  vice  and  ig- 
norance in  a  clergyman  i  nothing  more  bafe  than  a  hypo- 
crite, more  frivolous  than  a  pedant,  more  cruel  than  an 
inquifitor.  But  it  mufb  alfo  be  granted  by  you,  gentle- 
men, that  nothing  is  more  ridiculous  and  abfurd,  than 
for  pedantic,  ignorant  and  corrupt  men,  to  call  the  firft 
ftone,  at  every  fhadow  of  their  own  defc6is  and  vices  in 
other  men. 

XXXV.  Alc— When  I  conGder  the  deteftable  ftate  of 
flavcry  and  fuperltition,  I  feel  my  heart  dilate  and  expand 
itfelf  to  grafp  that  ineflimable  blefTmg  of  independent 
liberty.  This  is  the  facred  and  high  prerogative,  the  very 
life  and  health  of  our  Ehglijh  conflitution.  You  muft 
not,  therefore,  think  it  ft  range,  if  with  a  vigilant  and  curi- 
ous eye,  we  guard  it  againft  the  minuteft  appearance  of 
evil.  You  muft  even  fuffer  us  to  cut  round  about,  and 
very  deep,  and  make  ufe  of  the  magnifying  glafs,  the  bet- 
ter to  view  and  extirpate  every  the  leaft  fpeck,  which 
fhall  difcover  itfelf  in  what  we  are  careful  and  jealous  to 
prefervc,  as  the  apple  of  our  eye. 

Cri.— As  for  unbounded  liberty,  I  leave  it  to  favages, 
among  whom  alone  I  believe  it  is  to  be  found  :  But,  for 
the  reafonable  legal  liberty  of  our  conftitution,  I  moft 
heartily  and  fincerely  wifn  it  may  for  ever  fubfift  and 
flourifti  among  U3.  You  and  all  other  EngUfhmen  cannot 
be  too  vigilant,  or  too  earneft,  to  preferve  this  goodly 
frame,  or  to  curb  and  difappoint  the  wicked  ambition 
.of  whoever,  layman  or  ecclefiaftic,  fliall  attempt  to 
change  our  free  and  gentle  government  into  a  flavifh  or 


24^  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.     [Dial.  V.] 

fevere  one.  But  what  pretext  can  this  afford  for  your 
attempts  againfl  religion,  or  indeed,  how  can  it  be  con- 
fident with  them  ?  Is  not  the  proteftant  religion  a  main 
part  of  our  legal  conilitution  ?  I  remember  to  have  heard 
a  foreigner  remark,  that  we  of  this  ifiand  were  very  good 
proteftants,  but  no  chriflians.  But  whatever  Minute  Phi- 
lofophers  may  wiih,  or  foreigners  fay,  it  is  certain  our 
laws  fpeak  a  diiFerent  language. 

Alc. — This  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  wife  reafoning  of  a 
certain  fage  magiftrate,  who,  being  preffed  by  the  raillery 
and  arguments  of  an  ingenious  man,  had  irothing  to  fay 
for  his  religion,  but  that  ten  millions  of  people,  inhabiting 
the  fame  ifland,  might,  whether  right  or  wrong,  if  they 
thought  good,  eflablilh  laws  for  the  worfhipping  of  God 
in  their  temples,  and  appealing  to  him  in  their  courts  of 
juftice.  And  that  in  cafe  ten  thoufand  ingenious  men 
fhould  publicly  deride  and  trample  on  thofe  laws,  it  might 
be  juft  and  lawful  for  the  fai<l  ten  millions  to  expel  the 
faid  ten  thoufand  ingenious  men  out  of  their  faid  ifland. 

EuPH. — And  pray,  what  anfwer  would  you  make  to 
this  remark  of  the  fage  magiftrate  ? 

Alc— -The  anfwer  is  plain.  By  the  law  of  nature, 
which  is  fuperior  to  all  pofitive  inftitutions,  wit  and  knowl- 
edge have  a  right  to  command  folly  and  ignorance.  I  fay, 
ingenious  men  have,  by  natural  right,  a  dominion  over  fools. 

EuPH. — What  dominion  over  the  laws  and  people  of 
Great  Britairiy  Minute  Philofophers  may  be  in  titled  to  by 
nature,  I  (hall  not  difpute,  but  leave  to  be  confidered  by 
the  public. 

Alc. — This  doctrine,  it  muft  be  owned,  was  never 
thoroughly  underftood  before  our  own  times.  In  the  laft 
age,  Hobhes  and  his  followers,  though  otherwife  very 
great  men,  declared  for  the  religion -of  the  magiftrate  ; 
Probably  becaufe  they  were  afraid  of  the  magiftrate  :  But 
times  are  changed,  and  the  magiftrate  may  now  be  afraid 
of  us. 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  247^ 

Cri. — I  allow  the  maglftrate  may  well  be  afraid  of  you 
in  one  fenfe,  I  mean  afraid  to  truft  you.  This  brings  to 
my  thoughts  a  paflage  on  the  trial  of  Leander  for  a  capital 
offence.  That  gentleman  having  picked  out  and  excluded 
from  his  jury,  by  peremptory  exception,  all  but  fome 
men  of  falhion  and  pleafure,  humbly  moved,  when  Dorcon 
was  going  to  kifs  the  book,  that  he  might  be  required  to 
declare  upon  honour,  whether  he  believed  either  God  or  gof- 
pel.  Dorcon^  rather  than  hazard  his  reputation  as  a  man  of 
honour  and  free-thinker,  openly  avowed,  that  he  believed  in 
neither.  Upon  which,  the  court  declared  him  unfit  to  ferve" 
on  a  jury.  By  the  fame  reafon,  fo  many  were  fet  afide,  as 
made  it  neceffary  to  put  off  the  trial.  "We  are  very  eafy, 
replied  Alciphroriy  about  being  trufted  to  ferve  on  juries, 
if  we  can  be  admitted  to  ferve  in  lucrative  employments. 

Cri. — But  what  if  the  government  iliould  injoin,  that 
every  one,  before  he  is  fworn  into  office,  fliould  make  the 
fame  declaration  which  Dorcon  was  required  to  make  ? 

Alc. — God  forbid  !  I  hope  there  is  no  fuch  defign  on 
foot. 

Cri. — Whatever  defigns  may  be  on  foot,  thus  much  is 
certain ;  the  chriftian  reformed  religion  is  a  principal 
part  and  corner-ilone  of  our  free  conftitution  ;  and  I  ver- 
ily think,  the  only  thing  that  makes  us  deferving  of  free- 
dom, or  capable  of  enjoying  it.  Freedom  is  either  a 
blefling  or  a  cure,  as  men  ufe  it.  And  to  me  it  feems, 
that  if  our  religion  were  once  deftroyed  from  among  us, 
and  thofe  notions,  which  pafs  for  prejudices  of  a  chriftian 
education,  erafed  from  the  minds  of  Britons^  thebeil  thing 
that  could  befal  us  would  be  the  lofs  of  our  freedom. 
— Surely  a  people  wherein  there  is  fuch  reftlefs  am- 
bition, fuch  high  fpirits,  fuch  animofity  cf  faction,  fo 
great  interefts  in  conteft,  fuch  unbounded  licence  of  fpeech 
and  prefs,  amidft  fo  much  wealth  and  luxury,  nothing 
but  thofe  veteres  avia,  which  you  pretend  to  extirpate, 
could  have  hitherto  kept  from  ruin. 


248  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  V.] 

XXXVI.  Under  the  chriftian  religion  this  nation  hath 
been  greatly  improved.  From  a  fort  of  favages  we  have 
grown  civil,  polite,  and  learned.  We  have  made  a  de- 
cent and  noble  figure,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  And,  as 
our  religion  decreafeth,  I  am  afraid  we  fhall  be  found  to 
have  declined.  Why  then  (liould  we  perfift  in  the  dan- 
gerous experiment  } 

.    Alc. — One   would   think,   Crito,  you  had   forgot  the 
many  calamities  occafioned  by  churchmen  and  religion. 

Cri. — And  one  would  think,  you  had  forgot  what  was 
anfvvered  this  very  day  to  that  objection.  But  not  to  repeat 
eternally  the  fame  things,  I  ihail  obferve  in  the  firft  place, 
that  if  we  reflect  on  the  paft  ftate  of  chriftendom,  and  of 
our  own  country  in  particular,  with  our  feuds  and  factions 
fubfifting,  while  we  were  all  of  the  fame  religion,  for  in- 
llance,  that  of  the  white  and  red  rofes,  fo  violent  and 
bloody,  and  of  fuch  long  continuance ;  we  can  have  no 
affurance  that  thofe  ill  humors,  which  have  fince  fhewn 
themfelves  under  the  malk  of  religion,  would  not  have 
broke  out  with  feme  other  pretext,  if  this  had  been  want- 
ing. I  obferve  in  the  fecond  place,  that  it  will  not  fol- 
low, from  any  obfervations  you  can  make  on  our  hillory, 
that  the  evils,  accidentally  occafioned  by  religion,  bear 
any  proportion  either  to  the  good  effefts  it  hath  really  pro- , 
duced,  or  the  evils  it  hath  prevented.  Laftiy,  I  obferve, 
that  the  beft  things  may,  by  accident,  be  the  occafion  of 
evil ;  which  accidental  effe£l  is  not,  to  fpeak  properly  and 
truly,  produced  by  the  good  thing  itfelf,  but  by  fome  evil 
thing,  which,  being  neither  part,  property,  nOr  efFeft  of 
it,  happens  to  be  joined  v/ith  it.  But  I  (hould  be  alham- 
ed  to  infift  and  enlarge  on  fo  plain  a  point.  Certainly 
whatever  evils  this  nation  might  have  formerly  fuftained 
from  fuperftition,  no  man  of  common  fenfe  will  fay,  the 
evils  felt,  or  apprehended  at  prcfent,  are  from  that  quarter. 
Piieftcraft  is  not  the  reigning  diilemper  at  this  day.      And 


[Dial.  V.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  249 

it  will  be  owned,  that  a  wife  man,  who  takes  upon  him  to 
be  vigilant  for  the  public  weal,  fliould  touch  proper  things 
at  proper  times,  and  not  prefcribe  for  a  furfeit  when  the 
diftemper  is  a  confumption. 

Alc. — I  think  we  have  fufficiently  difcufled  the  fub- 
jc£t  of  this  day's  conference.  And  now,  let  Lyjicles  take 
it  as  he  will,  I  muft,  in  regard  to  rny  own  character,  as  a 
fair  impartial  adverfary,  acknowledge  there  is  fomething 
in  what  Crito  hath  faid,  upon  the  ufefulnefs  of  the  chrif- 
tian  religion.  I  will  even  own  to  you  that  fome  of  our 
feet  are  for  allowing  it  a  toleration.  I  remember,  at  a 
meeting  of  feveral  ingenious  men,  after  much  debate,  we 
came  fucceffively  to  divers  refolutions.  The  firft  was, 
that  no  religion  ought  to  be  tolerated  in  the  flate  :  But 
this,  on  more  mature  thought,  was  judged  impracticable. 
The  fecond  was,  that  all  religions  iliould  be  tolerated,  but 
none  countenanced  except  atheifm  :  But  it  was  apprehend- 
ed, that  this  might  breed  contentions  among  the  lower 
fort  of  people.  We  came,  therefore,  to  conclude,  in  the 
third  place,  that  fome  religion  or  other  fhould  be  eftab- 
iiftied  for  the  ufe  of  the  vulgar.  And,  after  a  long  difpute 
what  this  religion  (hould  be,  Lyfis^  a  brifk  young  man^ 
perceiving  no  figns  of  agreement,  propofed,  that  the 
prefent  religion  might  be  tolerated,  till  a  better  was  found. 
But  allowing  it  to  be  expedient,  I  can  never  think  it  true, 
fo  long  as  there  lie  unanfwerable  obje(9:ions  againft  it, 
which,  if  you  pleafe,  I  fhall  take  the  liberty  to  propofe 
at  our  next  meeting.  To  which  we  all  agreed. 
H  Ii 


T  H  E 

SIXTH     DIALOGUE. 

I.  Points  agreed.  II.  Sundry  Pretences  to  Revelation.  III. 
Uncertainty  of  Tradition.  IV.  Object  and  Ground  of 
Faith.  V.  SQ7ne  Books  difputed^  others  evidently  fpurious, 
VI.  Stile  and  Compofition  of  Holy  Scripture.  VII.  Dif- 
fculties  occurring  therein.  VIII.  Ohfcurity  not  always  a 
DefeB.  IX.  Infpiration  neither  impoffihle  nor  abfurd. 
X.  OhjeBions  from  the  Form  and  Matter  of  Divine  ReV' 
elation^  confidered.  XI.  Infidelity  an  FffeEi  of  Narrow- 
nefs  and  Prejudice.  XII.  Articles  of  Chrrjlian  Faith  not 
unreafonable.  XIII.  Guilt  the  natural  Pare7it  of  Fear. 
XIV.  Things  unknown,  reduced  to  the  Standard  of  what 
JHen  know.  XV.  Prejudices  againft  the  Iticartiatioit  of 
the  Son  of  God.  XVI.  Ignoratice  of  the  divine  Econo- 
my,  a  Source  of  Difficulties.  XVII.  Wifdom  of  Gody 
Foolifknejs  to  Man.  XVIII.  Reajlny  no  blind  Guide. 
XIX.  Ufefalnefs  of  Divine  Revelation.  XX.  Prophe- 
cies, whence  ohfcure.  XXI.  Eaflern  Accounts  of  time 
older  than  the  Mofaic.  XXII.  The  Humor  of  Egyptians, 
AfTyrians,  Chaldeans,  and  other  Nations  extending  their 
Antiquity  beyond  Truth,  accounted  for.  XXIII.  Reofons 
confirming  the  Mofaic  Account.  XXIV.  Profane  Hiflo- 
rians  inconfiflent.  XXV.  Celfus,  Prophyry,  and  Jul- 
ian.      XXVI.     The    Tefimony    of  Jofephus    confidered. 

XXVII.  Attcfation  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  Chrijlianity. 

XXVIII.  Forgeries  and  Herefies.  XXIX.  Judgment 
and  Attention  of  Minute  Philofophers.  XXX.  Faith  and 
Miracles.  XXXI.  Probable  Arguments  a  fufficient 
Ground  of  Faith.  XXXII.  The  Chrijlian  Religion  able 
tejland  the  Teji  of  rational  Inquiry. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  251 

J_  HE  following  day  being  Sunday,  our  philofophers 
lay  long  in  bed,  while  the  reft  of  us  went  to  church  in 
the  neighboring  town,  where  we  dined  at  Euphratior'sy 
and  after  evening  fervice  returned  to  the  two  philofophers, 
whom  we  found  in  the  library.  They  told  us,  that,  if 
there  was  a  God,  he  was  prefent  every  where,  as  well  as 
at  church  ;  and  that  if  we  had  been  ferving  him  one  way, 
they  did  not  neglect  to  do  as  much  another ;  inafmuch  as 
a  free  exercife  of  reafon  muft  be  allowed  the  molt  accept- 
able fervice  and  worfhip,  that  a  rational  creature  can  of- 
fer to  its  Creator.  However,  faid  Alciphroriy  if  you, 
gentlemen,  can  but  folve  the  difficulties  which  I  fhall  pro- 
poie  to-morrow  morning,  I  prom.ife  to  go  to  church  next 
Sunday.  After  fome  general  converfation  of  tliis  kind, 
we  fat  down  to  a  light  fupper,  and  the  next  m-orning  af- 
fembled  at  the  fame  place,  as  the  day  before :  Where  be- 
ing all  feated,  I  obferved,  that  the  foregoing  week  our 
conferences  had  been  carried  on  for  a  longer  time,  and 
with  lefs  interruption  than  I  had  ever  known,  or  well 
could  be,  in  town  :  Where  men's  hours  are  fo  broken  by 
vifits,  bufinefs,  and  amufements,  that  whoever  is  content 
to  forni  his  notions  from  converfation  only,  muft  needs 
have  them  very  (battered  and  imperfect.  And  what  have 
we  got,  replied  Alciphron,  by  all  thefe  continued  confer- 
ences ?  For  my  part,  I  think  myfelf  juft  where  I  was, 
with  refpe6t  to  the  main  point  that  divides  us,  the  truth 
of  the  chriftian  religion.  I  anfwered  :  That  fo  many 
points  had  been  examined,  difcufled,  and  agreed  between 
him  and  his  adverfaries,  that  I  hoped  to  fee  them  come 
to  an  intire  agreement  in  the  end.  For,  in  the  firit  place, 
faid  I,  the  principles  and  opinions  of  thofe  who  are  called 
free-thinkers,  or  Minute  Philofophers,  have  been  pretty 
clearly  explained.  It  hath  been  alfo  agreed,  that  vice  is 
not  of  that  benefit  to  the  nation,  which  fome  men  ima- 

\ 


2s2 


MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 


mne  :  That  virtue  is  highly  ufeful  to  mankind  :  But  that 
the  beauty  of  virtue  is  not  alone  fufHcient  to  engage  them 
in  the  pradife  of  it :  That,  therefore,  the  beUef  of  a  God 
and  Providence  ought  to  be  encouraged  in  the  ftate,  and 
tolerated  in  good  company,  as  an  ufeful  notion.  Further, 
it  hath  been  proved  that  there  is  a  God  :  That  it  is  reafon- 
able  to  v/orfliip  him  :  And  that  the  vi'orfliip,  faith,  and 
principles  prefcribed  by  the  chriftian  reiigicn  have  an  ufe- 
ful tendency.  Admit,  replied  Alciphrotiy  addrelTmg  him- 
ie!f  to  Crito,  all  that  Dion  faith  to  be  true,  yet  this 
doth  not  hinder  my  being  juft  where  I  v^^as,  vi'ith  refpeft 
to  the  main  point.  Since  there  is  nothing  in  all  this  that 
proves  the  truth  ef  the  chridian  religion  :  Though  each 
of  thofe  particulars  enumerated,  may,  perhaps,  prejudice 
in  its  favor.  I  am,  therefore,  to  fufpecl  myfelf  at  prefent 
for  a  prejudiced  perfon  •,  prejudiced,  I  fay,  in  favor  of 
chridianity.  This,  as  I  am  a  lover  of  truth,  puts  me  up- 
on my  guard  againft  deception.  I  muft,  therefore,  look 
fnarp,   and  well  confider  every  ftep  I  take. 

II.  Cri. — You  m.ay  remember,  Akiphron,  you  propo- 
fed  for  the  fubje£l:  of  cur  prefent  conference  the  confider- 
ation  of  certain  difficulties  and  objedions,  which  you  had 
to  offer  againft  the  chriftian  religion.  We  are  now  ready 
to  hear  and  confider  whatever  you  fhall  think  fit  to  produce 
of  that  kind.  Atheifm,  and  a  wrong  notion  of  chrif- 
tianity,  as  of  fometliing  hurtful  to  mankind,  are  great 
prejudices;  the  removal  of  which  may  difpofe  a  man  to 
.argue  with  candor,  and  fubm.it  to  reafonable  proof :  But 
the  removing  prejudices  againft  an  opinion,  is  not  to  be 
reckoned  prejudicing  in  its  favor.  It  may  be  hoped,  there- 
fore, that  you  will  be  able  to  do  juftice  to  your  caufe, 
without  being  fond  of  it. 

Alc. — O  Crito !  That  man  may  thank  his  ftars  to  whom 
nature  hath  given  a  fublime  foul,  who  can  raife  himfelf 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  253 

above  popular  opinions,  and,  looking  down  on  the  herd 
of  mankind,  behold  them  fcattered  over  the  furface  of 
the  vi^hole  earth,  divided  and  fubdivided  into  numberlefs 
nations  and  tribes,  differing  in  notions  and  tenets,  as  in 
language,  manners,  and  drefs.  The  man  who  takes  a 
general  view  of  the  world  and  its  inhabitants,  from  this 
lofty  (land,  above  the  reach  of  prejudice,  fe ems  to  breathe 
a  purer  air,  and  to  fee  by  a  clearer  light :  But  how  to  im- 
part this  clear  and  extenfive  view  to  thofe  who  are  wan- 
dering beneath  in  the  narrow  dark  paths  of  error.  This 
indeed  is  a  hard  talk  :  Yet  hard  as  it  is,  I  fhail  try  if  by 
;iny  means, 

Clara  tu<£  pojjim  pnzpandere  lumifia  menii.        Lucret. 

Know  then,  that  all  the  various  cafts  or  fe£ls  of  the  fons 
of  men  have  each  their  faith,  and  their  religious  fyftem, 
germinating  and  fprouting  forth  from  that  common  grain 
of  enthufiafm,  which  is  an  original  ingredient  in  the  com- 
pofition  of  human  nature.  They  ihall  each  tell  of  inter- 
courfe  with  the  invifible  world,  revelations  from  Heaven, 
divine  oracles,  and  the  likr.  All  which  pretenfions,  when 
I  regard  with  an  impartial  eye,  it  is  impoflible  I  fhould  af- 
fent  to  all,  and  I  find  within  myfelf  fomething  that  with- 
holds me  from  afTenting  to  any  of  them.  For  although 
I  may  be  willing  to  follow,  fo  far  as  common  fenfe  and 
the  light  of  nature  lead  ;  yet  the  fame  reafon,  that  bids 
me  yield  to  rational  proof,  forbids  me  to  admit  opinions 
without  proof.  This  holds  in  general  againft  all  revela- 
tions whatft:)ever.  And  be  this  my  firft  objecSlion  againft 
the  chriflian  In  particular. 

Cri. — As  this  obje6lion  fuppofes  there  is  no  proof  or 
reafon  for  believing  the  chriftian  revelation,  if  good  rea- 
fon can  be  afTigtied  for  fuch  belief,  it  comes  to  nothing. 
Now  I  prefume  you  will  grant,  the  authority  of  the  re- 


254  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

porter  Is  a  true  and  proper  reafon  for  believing  reports  : 
And  the  better  this  authority,  the  jufter  claim  it  hath  to 
our  aflent :  But  the  authority  of  God,  is,  on  all  accounts, 
the  beft  :  Whatever,  therefore,  comes  from  God,  it  is 
moft  reafonabie  to  believe. 

III.  Alc. — This  I  grant,  but  then  It  muft  be  proved 
to  come  from  God. 

Cri. — And  are  not  miracles,  and  the  accompliftiments 
of  prophecies,  joined  with  the  excellency  of  its  doctrines, 
a  fufficient  proof  that  the  chriftian  religion  came  from 
Godf 

Alc. — Miracles,  indeed,  would  prove  fomething ;  but 
what  proof  have  we  of  thefe  miracles  .? 

Cri. — Proof  of  the  fame  kind  that  we  have,  or  can 
have,  of  any  fafts  done  a  great  way  off,  and  a  long  time 
ago.  We  have  authentic  accounts  tranfmitted  down  to 
us  from  eye-witneffes,  whom  we  cannot  conceive  tempt- 
ed to  impofe  upon  us  by  any  human  motive  whatfoever  : 
inafmuch  as  they  a£i:ed  therein  contrary  to  their  interefts, 
their  prejudices,  and  the  very  principles  in  which  they 
had  been  nurfed  and  educated.  Thefe  accounts  were 
confirmed  by  the  unparalleled  fubverfion  of  the  city  of 
Jerufalemy  and  the  difperfion  of  the  Jeivi/h  nation,  which 
is  a  (landing  teftimony  to  the  truth  of  the  gofpel,  particu- 
larly of  the  predictions  of  our  blefled  Saviour.  Thefe 
accounts,  within  lefs  then  a  century,  were  fpread  through- 
out the  world,  and  believed  by  great  numbers  of  people. 
Thefe  fame  accounts  were  committed  to  v/riting, .  tranfla- 
ted  into  feveral  languages,  and  handed  down  with  the 
fame  refpeCt  and  confent  of  chriflians  in  the  mofl  diftant 
churches.  Do  you  not  fee,  faid  Alciphron,  flaring  full 
at  Crito,  that  all  this  hangs  by  tradition  .'^  And  tradition, 
take  my  word  for  it,  gives  but  a  weak  hold  :  It  is  a 
chain,  whereof  the  firft  links  may  be  flronger  than  flecl, 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  255 

and  yet  the  laft  weak  as  wax,  and  brittle  as  glafs.  Ima- 
gine a  pi£lure  copied  fucceffively  by  an  hundred  painterSj 
one  from  another  j  how  like  muft  the  laft  copy  be  to  the 
original  !  How  lively  and  diftin6t  will  an  image  be,  af- 
ter an  hundred  reflexions  between  two  parallel  mirrours  I 
Thus  like,  and  thus  lively,  do  I  think  a  faint  vanilhing 
tradition,  at  the  end  of  fixteen  or  feventeen  hundred 
years.  Some  men  have  a  falfe  heart,  others  a  wrong 
head  :  and  where  both  are  true,  the  memory  may  be 
treacherous.  Hence  there  is  ftill  fomething  added,  fome- 
thing  omitted,  and  fomething  varied  from  the  truth  : 
And  the  fum  of  many  fuch  additions,  deductions  and  al- 
terations, accumulated  for  feveral  ages,  doth,  at  the  foot 
of  the  account,  make  quite  another  thing. 

Cri. — Ancient  fa(^s  we  may  know  by  tradition,  oral 
or  written  :  And  this  latter  we  may  divide  into  two  kinds, 
private  and  public,  as  writings  are  kept  in  the  hands  of 
particular  men,  or  recorded  in  public  archives.  Now  all 
thefe  three  forts  of  tradition,  for  ought  I  can  fee,  concur 
to  atteft  the  genuine  antiquity  of  the  gofpels.  And  they 
arc  ftrengthened  by  collateral  evidence  from  rites  inftitu- 
ted,  feftivals  obferved,  and  monuments  ereCled  by  anci- 
ent chriftians,  fuch  as  churches,  baptifteries,  and  fepul- 
chres.  Now,  allowing  your  objection  holds  againft  oral 
tradition,  fingly  taken,  yet  I  can  think  it  no  fuch  difficult 
thing  to  tranfcribe  faithfully.  And  things  once  commit- 
ted to  writing,  are  fecure  from  flips  of  memory,  and  may 
with  common  care  be  preferved  intire  fo  long  as  the  manu- 
fcript  lafts  :  And  this,  experience  (hews,  may  be  above  a 
thoufand  years.  The  Alexandrine  manufcript  is  allowed 
to  be  above  twelve  hundred  years  old  :  and  it  is  highly 
probable  there  were  then  extant  copies  four  hundred  years 
old.  A  tradition,  therefore,  of  above  fixteen  hundred 
years,  need  have  only  two  or  three  links  in  its  chain. — 
And  thefe  links,    notwithftanding  that  great  length  of 


2S<5  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

time,  may  be  very  found  and  intire.  Since  no  reafona- 
ble  man  will  deny,  that  an  ancient  manufcript  may  be  of 
much  the  fame  credit  now,  as  when  it  was  firft  written. 
We  have  it  on  good  authority,  and  it  feems  probable  that 
the  primitive  chriftians  were  careful  to  tranfcribe  copies 
of  the  gofpels  and  epiftles  for  their  private  ufe  :  and  that 
other  copies  were  preferved  as  public  records,  in  the  feve- 
ral  churches  throughout  the  world  :  and  that  portions 
thertfof  were  conllantly  read  in  their  aflemblies.  Can 
more  be  faid  to  prove  the  writings  of  claflic  authors,  or 
ancient  records  of  any  kind,  authentic  ?  Alciphrony  ad- 
dreffing  his  difcourfe  to  Euphranor,  faid,  it  is  one  thing 
to  filence  an  adverfary,  and  another  to  convince  him.— 
What  do  you  think,  Euphranor  ? 

EuPH. — Doubtlefs  it  is. 

Alc. — But  what  I  want  is,  to  be  convinced. 

EuPH. — That  point  is  not  fo  clear. 

Alc. — But  if  a  man  had  ever  fo  much  mind,  he  can- 
not be  convinced  by  probable  arguments  againft  demon- 
ilration. 

EuPH. — I  grant  he  cannot. 

rV.  Alc. — Now  it  is  as  evident  as  demonftration  can 
make  it,  that  no  divine  faith  can  poffibly  be  built  upon 
tradition.  Suppofe  an  honeft  credulous  countryman  ca- 
techifed  and  ie6i:ured  every  Sunday  by  his  parilli-prieft  : 
it  is  plain  he  believes  in  the  parfon,  and  not  in  God.  He 
knows  nothing  of  revelations,  and  docfbrines,  and  mira- 
cles, but  what  the  prieft  tells  him.  This  he  believes, 
and  this  faith  is  purely  human.  If  you  fay  he  has  the 
liturgy  and  the  bible  for  the  foundation  of  his  faith,  the 
difficulty  (till  recurs.  For,  as  to  the  liturgy,  he  pins  his 
faith  upon  the  civil  magiftrate,  as  well  as  the  ecclefiaftic, 
neither  of  which  can  pretend  divine  infpiration.  Then 
for  the  bible,  he  takes  both  that  and  his  prayer  book  on 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         257 

truft  from  the  printer,  who,  he  believes,  made  true  edi- 
tions from  true  copies.  You  fee  then  faith,  but  what 
faith  ?  Faith  in  the  prieft,  in  the  magiftrate,  in  the 
printer,  editor,  tranfcriber,  none  of  which  can,  with 
any  pretence,  be  called  divine.  I  had  the  hint  from  Cra- 
tylus :  it  is  a  fhaft  out  of  his  quiver,  and,  believe  me,  a 
keen  or^e. 

EupH. — Let  me  take  and  make  trial  of  this  fame  (haft 
in  my  hands.  Suppofe  then  your  countryman  hears  the 
magiftrate  declare  the  law  from  the  bench,  or  fuppofc 
he  reads  it  in  a  (tatute  book.  What  think  you,  is  the 
printer,  or  the  juftice,  the  true  and  proper  obje6l  of  his 
faith  and  fubmiffion  ?  Or  do  you  acknowledge  a  higher 
authority  whereon  to  found  thofe  royal  a£ls,  and  in  which 
they  do  really  terminate  .'*  Again,  fuppofe  you  read  a 
pafiage  in  Tacitus  that  you  believe  true  \  would  you  fay 
you  aflented  to  it  on  the  authority  of  the  printer,  or  tranf- 
criber, rather  than  the  hiftorian  .'' 

Alc. — ^Perhaps  I  would,  and  perhaps  I  would  not. 
I  do  not  think  myfelf  obliged  to  anfwer  thefe  points. 
What  is  this  but  transfering  the  queftion  from  one 
fubje£t  to  another  ?  That  which  we  confidered  was 
neither  law  nor  profane  hiftory,  but  religious  tradition, 
and  divine  faith.  I  fee  plainly  what  you  aim  at,  but  (hall 
never  take  for  an  anfwer  to  one  difficulty,  the  ftarting  of 
another. 

Cri. — O  AlciphroTiy  there  is  no  taking  hold  of  you, 
who  expeft  that  others  (hould  (as  you  were  pleafed  to 
exprefs  it)  hold  fair  and  ftand  firm,  while  you  plucked 
out  their  prejudices  :  How  fliall  he  argue  with  you,  but 
from  your  conceffions,  and  how  can  he  know  what  you 
grant,  except  you  will  be  pleafed  to  tell  him  ? 

EuPH. — But,  to  fave  you  the  trouble,  for  once  I  will 
fuppofe  an  anfwer.  My  queftion  admits  but  of  two  an- 
fwers  :  take  your  choice.     From  the  one  it  will  follow, 

li 


258  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VL] 

that  by  a  parity  of  reafon,  we  can  eafily  conceive,  how  a 
man  may  have  divine  faith,  though  he  never  felt  infpira- 
tion,  or  faw  a  miracle  :  inafmuch  as  it  is  equally  poflible 
for  the  mind,  through  whatever  conduit,  oral  or  fcriptu- 
ral,  divine  revelation  be  derived,  to  carry  its  thought  and 
fubmifiion  up  to  the  fource,  and  terminate  its  faith,  not 
in  human,  but  divine  authority  :  not  in  the  inftrument  or 
veffel  of  conveyance,  but  in  the  great  origin  itfelf,  as  its 
proper  and  true  obje£l.  From  the  other  anfwer  it  will 
follow,  that  you  introduce  a  general  fcepticifm  into  hu- 
man knowledge,  and  break  down  the  hinges  on  which 
civil  government,  and  all  the  affairs  of  the  world,  turn 
and  depend.  In  a  word,  that  you  would  deftroy  human 
faith,  to  get  rid  of  divine.  And  how  this  agrees  with 
your  profefling  that  you  want  to  be  convinced,  I  leave 
you  to  confider. 

V.  Alc. — I  xhould  in  earnefl:  be  glad  to  be  convinced 
one  v/ay  or  other,  and  come  to  fome  conclufion.  But  I 
have  fo  many  objections  in  ftore,  you  are  not  to  count 
much  upon  getting  over  one.  Depend  on  it,  you  (hall 
find  me  behave  like  a  gentleman  and  lover  of  truth.  I 
will  propofe  my  objeftions  briefly  and  plainly,  and  ac- 
cept of  reafonable  anfwers  as  fall  as  you  can  give  them. 
Come,  Euphrajjory  make  the  moft  of  your  tradition  :  you 
can  never  make  that  a  conftant  and  univerfal  one,  which 
is  acknowledged  to  have  been  unknown,  or  at  heft  difput- 
ed  in  the  church  for  feveral  ages  :  And  this  is  the  cafe  of 
the  canon  of  the  New  Teftament.  For  though  we  have 
now  a  canon,  as  they  call  it,  fettled  ;  yet  every  one  mull 
fee  and  own,  that  tradition  cannot  grow  ftronger  by  age  ; 
and  that  what  was  uncertain  in  the  primitive  times,  can- 
not be  undoubted  in  the  fubfequent.  What  fay  you  to 
this,  Euphrmior  ? 

EuPH. — I  fhould  be  glad  to  conceive  your  meaning  clear- 
ly before  I  return  an  anfwer.     It  feems  to  me  this  objec- 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  259 

tion  of  yours  fuppofeth,  that  v.'here  a  tradition  h^th  been 
conftant  and  undifputed,  fuch  tradition  may  be  admitted 
as  a  proof  ;  but  that  where  the  tradition  is  defective,  the 
proof  muft  be  fo  too.      Is  this  your  meaning  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — Confequently  the  gofpels  and  epilliles  of  Saint 
Paulf  which  were  univerfally  received  in  the  beginning, 
and  never  fince  doubted  of  by  the  church,  muft,  not- 
withllanding  this  objeftion,  be  in  reafon  admitted  as  ge- 
nuine. And  if  thefe  books  contain,  as  they  really  do, 
all  thofe  points  that  come  into  controverfy  between  you 
and  me,  what  need  I  difpute  with  you  about  the  authority 
of  fome  other  books  of  the  New  Teftament,  which  came 
later  to  be  generally  known  and  received  in  the  church  ? 
If  a  man  afTents  to  the  undifputed  books,  he  is  no  longer 
an  infidel  -,  though  he  fhould  not  hold  the  Revelations,  or 
the  epiftle  of  Saint  James  or  Judey  or  the  latter  of  Saint 
Peter^  or  the  two  lail  of  Saint  Jchn^  to  be  canonical. — 
The  additional  authority  of  thefe  portions  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture may  have  its  weight,  in  particular  controverfies  be- 
tween chriftians,  but  can  add  nothing  to  arguments  a- 
gainft  an  infidel,  as  fuch.  Wherefore,  though  I  believe 
a  fubfequent  age  might  clear  up  what  was  obTcure  or  du- 
bious in  a  foregoing,  and  that  good  reafons  may  be  af- 
Cgned  for  receiving  thefe  books,  yet  thofe  reafons  fecm 
now  befide  our  purpofe.  When  you  are  a  chriftian,  it 
will  be  then  time  enough  to  argue  this  point.  And  you 
will  be  the  nearer  being  fo,  if  the  way  be  fhortened  by 
omitting  it  for  the  prefent. 

Alc. — Not  fo  near  neither,  as  you  perhaps  imagine: 
For,  notwithftanding  all  the  fair  and  plaufible  things  you 
may  fay  about  tradition,  when  I  confider  the  fpirit  of  for- 
gery which  reigned  in  the  primitive  times,  and  refle6l  on 
the  feveral  gofpels,  a(Sls,  and  epiftles,  attributed  to  the 
apoftles,  which  yet  are  acknowledged  to  be  fpurious,  I 
confefs  I  cannot  help  fufpeding  the  whole. 


26o         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alciphron^  do  you  fufpe£t  all  Plato^s 
writings  for  fpurious,  becaufe  the  dialogue  upon  death, 
for  inftance,  is  allowed  to  be  fo  ?  Or  will  you  admit  none 
of  Tulr/s  writings  to  be  genuine,  becaufe  Sigonius  impof- 
ed  a  book  of  his  own  writing  for  Tully%  treatife  de  Confo- 
latione,  and  the  impofture  paflcd  for  fome  time  on  the 
world  ? 

Alc. — Suppofe  I  admit  for  the  works  of  'Tully  and 
Plato  thofe  that  commonly  pafled  for  fuch.      What  then  ? 

EupH. — Why  then  I  would  fain  know,  whether  it  be 
eq-ual  and  impartial  in  a  free-thinker,  to  meafure  the  cred- 
ibility of  profane  and  facred  books  by  a  different  rule. 
Let  us  know  upon  what  foot  we  chriftians  are  to  argue 
with  Minute  Philofophers :  Whether  we  may  be  allowed 
the  benefit  of  common  maxims  in  logic  and  criticifm  ? 
If  we  may,  be  pleafed  to  afiign  a  reafon  why  fuppofiti- 
tious  writings,  which  in  the  ftile,  and  manner,  and  matter, 
bear  vifible  marks  of  impofture,  and  have  accordingly 
been  rejected  by  the  church,  can  be  made  an  argument 
againft  thofe  which  have  been  univerfally  received,  and 
handed  down  by  an  unanimous  conftant  tradition.  I 
know  nothing  truly  valuable  that  hath  not  been  counter- 
feited :  Therefore  this  argument  is  univerfal  :  But  that 
which  concludes  againft  all  things  is  to  be  admitted  againft 
none.  There  have  been  in  all  ages,  and  in  all  great  focie- 
ties  of  men,  many  capricious,  vain,  or  wicked  impoftors, 
who,  for  different  ends,  have  abufed  the  world  by  fpurious 
writings,  and  created  work  for  critics  both  in  profane  and 
facred  learning.  And  it  would  feem  as  filly  to  reje£t:  the 
true  writings  of  profane  authors  for  the  fake  of  the  fpu- 
rious, as  it  would  feem  unreafonable  to  fuppofe,  that 
among  the  heretics  and  feveral  fe£i:s  of  chriftians,  there 
fhould  be  none  capable  of  the  like  impofture. 

Alc — I  fee  no  means  for  judging:  It  is  all  dark  and 
doubtful,  mere  guefs-work,  at  fo  great  a  diftance  of  time. 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         261 

Cri. — But  if  I  know,  that  a  number  of  fit  perfons  met 
together  in  council,  did  examine  and  diftinguifli  authen- 
tic writings  from  fpurious,  relating  to  a  point  of  the 
higheft  concern,  in  an  age  near  the  date  of  thofe  wri- 
tings ;  though  I  at  the  diilance  of  many  more  centuries 
had  no  other  proof;  yet  their  deciflion  may  be  of  weight 
to  determine  my  judgment.  Since  it  is  probable  they 
might  have  had  feveral  proofs  and  reafons  for  what  they 
did,  and  not  at  all  improbable,  that  thofe  reafons  might 
be  loft  in  fo  long  a  tra£l  of  time.  * 

VI.  Alc. — But,  be  the  tradition  ever  fo  well  attefted, 
and  the  books  ever  fo  genuine,  yet  I  cannot  fuppofe  them 
wrote  by  perfons  divinely  infpired,  fo  long  as  I  fee  in 
them  certain  charadlers  inconfiftent  with  fuch  a  fuppofi- 
tion.  Surely  the  pureft  language,  the  moft  perfedl  ftile, 
the  exa£left  method,  and,  in  a  word,  all  the  excellencies  of 
good  writing,  might  be  expected  in  a  piece  compofed  or 
didtated  by  the  Spirit  of  God  :  But  books,  wherein  wc 
find  the  reverfe  of  all  this,  it  were  impious,  not  to  reje61:, 
but  to  attribute  to  the  divinity. 

EuPH. — Say,  Alctphron^  are  the  lakes,  the  rivers,  or 
the  ocean  bounded  by  ftraight  lines  ?  Are  the  hills  and 
mountains  exa£t  cones  or  pyramids  ?  Or  the  ftars  caft  in- 
to regular  figures  ? 

Alc. — They  are  not. 

EupH. — But  in  the  works  of  infects,  we  may  obferve 
figures  as  exadt  as  if  they  were  drawn  by  the  rule  and 
compafs. 

Alc. — We  may. 

EupH. — Should  it  not  feem,  therefore,  that  a  regular 
cxa£lnefs,  or  fcrupulous  attention  to  what  men  call  the 
rules  of  art,  is  not  obferved  in  the  great  produdions  of 
the  author  of  nature  ? 

Alc. — It  fhould. 

*  Vide  Can.  Ix.  Council,  Lnodicen, 


262         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

EuPH. — And  when  a  great  prince  declareth  his  will  in 
laws  and  edicts  to  his  fubje£ts,  is  he  careful  about  a  pure 
ftilcj  or  elegant  compofition  ?  Does  he  not  leave  his  fecre- 
taries  and  clerks  to  exprefs  his  fenfe  in  their  own  words  ? 
Is  not  the  phrafe,  on  fuch  occafions,  thought  proper,  if  it 
conveys  as  much  as  was  intended  ?  And  would  not  the 
divine  ftrain  of  certain  modern  critics  be  judged  afFe£led 
and  improper  for  fuch  ufes  ? 

Alc. — It  muft  be  owned,  laws,  and  edicts,  and  grants, 
for  folcecifm  and  tautology,  are  very  offenfive  to  the  har- 
monious ears  of  an  ingenious  man. 

EuPH. — Why  then  ftiould  we  expe£l  in  the  oracles  of 
God  an  exa£l:nefs,  that  would  be  mifbecoming  and  be- 
neath the  dignity  of  an  earthly  monarch,  and  which 
bears  no  proportion,  or  refemblance,  to  the  magnificent 
works  of  the  creation  ? 

Alc. — But  granting  that  a  nice  regard  to  particles  and 
critical  rules  is  a  thing  too  little  and  mean  to  be  expelled  ^ 
in  divine  revelations ;  and  that  there  is  more  force,  and 
fpirit,  and  true  greatnefs,  in  a  negligent  unequal  ftile,  than 
in  the  well  turned  periods  of  a  polite  writer :  Yet  what 
is  all  this  to  the  bald  and  flat  compofitions  of  thofe  you 
call  the  divine  penmen  ?  I  can  never  be  perfuaded,  the 
Supreme  Being  would  pick  out  the  pooreft  and  meaneft  of 
fcribler-s  for  his  fecretaries. 

EuPH. — O  AlciphroTiy  if  I  durft  follow  my  own  judg- 
ment, I  fhould  be  apt  to  think  there  are  noble  beauties  in 
the  ftile  of  the  Holy  Scripture :  In  the  narrative  parts,  a 
ftrain  fo  fimple  and  unaffected  :  In  the  devotional  and 
prophetic,  fo  animated  and  fublimc :  And  in  the  dodri- 
nal  parts,  fuch  an  air  of  dignity  and  authority,  as  feems  to 
fpeak  their  original  divine.  But  I  ftiall  not  enter  into  a 
difpute  about  tafte  ;  much  lefs  fet  up  my  judgment,  on  fo 
nice  a  point,  againft  that  of  the  wits,  and  men  of  genius, 
with  which  your  fed  abounds.     And  I  have  no  tempta- 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  263 

tion  to  it,  inafmuch  as  it  feems  to  me,  the  oracles  of  God 
are  not  the  lefs  fo  for  being  delivered  in  a  plain  drefs, 
rather  than  in  the  enticing  luords  cf  mar^s  ivifdom, 

Alc— This  may  perhaps  be  an  apology  for  fome  fim- 
plicity  and  negligence  in  writing. 

VII.  But  what  apology  can  be  made  for  nonfenfe, 
crude  nonfenfe  ?  Of  which  I  could  eafily  affign  many  in- 
ftances,  having  once  in  my  life  read  the  fcripture  thorough 
with  that  very  view.  Look  here,  faid  he,  opening  a  bi- 
ble, in  the  forty-ninth  Pfalm,  the  author  begins  very  mag- 
nificently, calling  upon  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  to 
give  ear,  and  affuring  them  his  mouth  (hall  fpeak  of  wif- 
dom,  and  the  m.editation  of  his  heart  fhall  be  of  undcr- 
ftanding. 

^id  dignum  tanto  feret  hie  prcmijffhr  hiatu  P 

He  hath  no  fooner  done  with  his  preface,  but  he  puts 
this  fenfelefs  queftion.  *  Wherefore  (hould  I  fear  in  the 
*  days  of  evil ;  when  the  wickednefs  of  my  heels  (hall 
**  compafs  me  about  ?*  The  iniquity  of  my  heels !  What 
nonfenfe  after  fuch  a  folemn  introduftion  ! 

EuPH. — For  my  own  part,  I  have  naturally  weak  eyes, 
and  know  there  are  many  things  that  I  cannot  fee,  which 
are  neverthelefs  diftln6i:ly  feen  by  others.  I  do  not  there- 
fore conclude  a  thing  to  be  abfolutely  invifible,  becaufe  it 
is  fo  to  me.  And  fince  it  is  poflible  it  may  be  with  my 
underftanding,  as  it  is  with  my  eyes,  I  dare  not  pronounce 
a  thing  to  be  nonfenfe,  becaufe  I  do  not  underftand  it. 
Of  this  pafTage  many  interpretations  are  given.  The 
word  rendered  heels,  may  fignify  fraud  or  fupplantation  : 
By  fome  it  is  tranflated,  pad  wickednefs,  the  heel  being 
the  hinder  part  of  the  foot  -,  by  others,  iniquity  in  the  end 
of  my  days,  the  heel  being  one  extremity  of  the  body  ', 


264  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

by  fome,  the  iniquity  of  my  enemies  that  may  fupplant 
me  ;  by  others,  my  own  faults  or  iniquities,  which  I  have 
pafied  over  as  light  matters,  and  trampled  under  my  feet. 
Some  render  it,  the  iniquity  of  my  ways :  Others,  my 
tranfgreffions,  which  are  like  flips,  and  Hidings  of  the 
heel. 

And  after  all,  might  not  the  expreflion,  fo  harfli  and 
odd  to  Englijh  ears,  have  been  very  natural  and  obvious 
in  the  Hebreiv  tongue,  which,  as  every  other  language, 
had  its  idioms  ?  the  force  and  propriety  whereof  may  as 
eafily  be  conceived  loft  in  a  long  tra£t  of  time,  as  the  fig- 
nification  of  divers  Hebreiv  words,  which  are  not  now  in- 
telligible, though  nobody  doubts  but  they  had  once  a 
meaning,  as  well  as  the  other  words  of  that  language. — 
Granting,  therefore,  that  certain  paflages  in  the  Holy 
Scripture  may  not  be  underftood,  it  will  not  thence  fol- 
low, that  its  penmen  wrote  nonfenfe  :  For  I  conceive  non- 
fenfe  to  be  one  thing,  and  unintelligible  another. 

Cri.— An  Englip  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance,  one 
day  entertaining  fome  foreigners  at  his  houfe,  fent  a  fcr- 
vant  to  know  the  occafion  of  a  fudden  tumult  in  the 
yard,  who  brought  him  word  the  horfes  were  failed  to- 
gether by  the  ears  :  His  guefts  inquiring  what  the  matter 
was,  he  tranflated  it  literally,  Les  Chevaux  font  tombez  en' 
femblepar  les  oreilles.  Which  made  them  ftare  :  what  ex- 
prefled  a  very  plain  fenfe  in  the  original  Englijhy  being 
incomprehenfible  when  rendered,  word  for  word,  into 
French.  And  I  remember  to  have  heard  a  man  excufe 
the  bulls  of  his  countrymen,  by  fuppofing  them  fo  many 
literal  tranflations. 

EuPH. — But  not  to  grow  tedious,  I  refer  to  the  critics 
and  commentators,  where  you  will  find  the  ufe  of  this 
remark,  which  clearing  up  feveral  obfcure  paflages  you 
took  for  nonfenfe,  may  poflibly  incline  you  to  fufpett 
your  own  judgment  of  the  reft.     In  this  very  pfalm  you 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  265 

have  pitched  on,  the  goodfenfe  and  moral  contained  in  what 
follows,  fhould,  methinks,  make  a  candid  reader  judge 
favorably  of  the  original  fenfe  of  the  author,  in  that  part 
which  he  could  not  underftand.  Say,  Alciphroti^  in  read- 
ing the  clafiics,  do  you  forthwith  conclude  every  paffage 
to  be  nonfenfe  that  you  cannot  make  fenfe  of  ? 

Alc. — By  no  means :  Difficulties  muft  be  fuppofed  to 
rife  from  different  idioms,  old  cuftoms,  hints  and  illu- 
(ions,  clear  in  one  time  or  place,  and  obfcure  in  another, 

EuPH. — And  why  will  you  not  judge  of  fcripture  by 
the  fame  rule  ^.  Thofe  fources  of  obfcurity  you  mention, 
are  all  common,  both  to  facred  and  profane  writings : 
And  there  is  no  doubt,  but  an  exafter  knowledge,  in 
language,  and  circumftances,  would,  in  both,  caufe  diffi- 
culties to  vanifh,  hke  fhades  before  the  light  of  the  fun. 
Jeremiah^  to  defcribe  a  furious  invader,  faith :  Behold^  he 
Jhall  come  up  as  a  Lion  from  the  fivelling  of  Jordan  againji 
the  habitation  of  the  flrong.  One  would  be  apt  to  think 
this  paffage  odd  and  improper,  and  that  it  had  been  more 
reafonable  to  have  faid,  a  Lion  from  the  mountain  or  the 
defert.  But  travellers,  as  an  ingenious  man  obferves,  who 
have  feen  the  river  Jordan,  bounded  by  low  lands  with 
many  reeds  or  thickets,  affording  fhelter  to  wild  beafts, 
(which  being  fuddenly  diflodged  by  a  rapid  overflowing  of 
the  river,  rufti  into  the  upland  country)  perceive  the  force 
and  propriety  of  the  comparifon ;  and  that  the  difficulty 
proceeds,  not  from  nonfenfe  in  the  writer,  but  from  igno- 
rance in  the  reader. 

Alc — Here  and  there  a  difficult  paffage  may  be  clear- 
ed :  But  there  are  many  which  no  art  or  wit  of  man  can 
account  for.  What  fay  3'ou  to  thofe  difcoveries,  made 
by  fome  of  our  learned  writers,  of  falfe  citations  from  the 
Old  Teftament  found  in  the  gofpel  ? 

EuPH. — That  fome  few  paffages  are  cited  by  the  writers 
of  the  New  Teftament  out  of  the  01d>  and  by  the  fathers 

K  k 


266  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

out  of  the  New,  which  are  not  in  fo  many  words  to  be 
found  in  them,  is  no  new  difcovery  of  Minute  Philofo- 
phers,  but  was  known  and  obferved  long  before  by  chrif- 
tian  writers ;  who  have  made  no  fcruple  to  grant,  that 
fome  things  might  have  been  inferted  by  carelefs  or  mifta- 
ken  tranfcribers  into  the  text,  from  the  margin,  others 
left  out,  and  others  altered  ;  whence  fo  many  various 
readings.  But  thefe  are  things  of  fmall  moment,  and 
that  all  other  ancient  authors  have  been  fubje£t  to  ;  and 
upon  which  no  point  of  dodrine  depends,  which  may  not 
be  proved  without  them.  Nay  further,  if  it  be  any  ad- 
vantage to  your  caufe,  it  hath  been  obferved,  that  the 
eighteenth  Pfahny  as  recited  in  the  twenty-fecond  chapter 
of  the  fecond  book  of  Samuel^  varies  in  above  forty  places, 
if  you  regard  every  little  literal  difference  :  And  that  a 
critic  may  now  and  then  difcover  fmall  variations,  is  what 
nobody  can  deny.  But  to  make  the  moft  of  thefe  concef- 
fions,  what  can  you  infer  from  them,  more  than  that  the 
defign  of  the  Holy  Scripture  was  not  to  make  us  exa£tly 
knowing  in  circumftantials  ?  And  that  the  fpirit  did  not 
dictate  every  particle  and  fyilable,  or  preferve  them  from 
every  minute  alteration  by  miracle  ?  which  to  believe, 
would  look  like  rabbinical  fuperftition. 

Alc. — But  what  marks  of  divinity  can  poffibly  be  in 
writings  which  do  not  reach  the  exa6i:nefs  even  of  human 
art  ? 

EuPH. — I  never  thought  nor  expected  that  the  Holy 
Scripture  fliould  (hew  itfelf  divine,  by  a  circumftantial 
accuracy  of  narration,  by  exa£lnefs  of  method,  by  ftridl- 
ly  obferving  the  rules  of  rhetoric,  grammar,  and  criticifm, 
in  harmonious  periods,  in  elegant  and  choice  expreffions, 
or  in  technical  definitions  and  partitions.  Thefe  things 
would  look  too  like  a  human  compolitlon.  Methinks 
there  is  in  that  fimple,  unafFe6led,  artlefs,  unequal,  bold, 
figurative  ftile  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  a  character  fingu- 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  267 

larly  great  and  majeftic,  and  that  looks  more  like  divine 
infpiration,  than  any  other  compofitlon  that  I  know. 
But,  as  I  faid  before,  I  fhall  not  difpute  a  point  of  criti- 
cifm  with  the  gentlemen  of  your  fe61:,  who,  it  fttems,  are 
the  modern  ftandard  for  wit  and  tafte. 

Alc. — Well  I  fhall  not  infifc  on  fmall  flips,  or  the  in- 
accuracy of  citing  or  tranfcribing  :  And  I  freely  own, 
that  repetitions,  want  of  method,  or  want  of  exa^lncfs 
in  circumftances,  are  not  the  things  that  ohiefly  ftick  with 
me  ;  no  more  than  the  plain  patriarchal  manners,  or  the 
peculiar  ufages  and  cuftoms  of  the  Jews  and  firft  chriflians, 
fo  different  from  ours  ;  and  that  to  reje£l  the  fcripture  on 
fuch  accounts  would  be  to  a61:  like  thofe  French  wits,  who 
cenfure  Horner^  becaufe  they  do  not  find  in  him  the  flile, 
notions,  and  manners  of  their  own  age  and  country. 
Was  there  nothing  elfe  to  divide  us,  I  fhould  make  no 
great  difficulty  of  owning,  that  a  popular  uncorre61:  flile 
might  anfwer  the  general  ends  of  revelation,  as  well 
perhaps,  as  a  mors  critical  and  exa£l  one.  But  the  ob- 
fcurity  flill  flicks  with  me.  Methinks  if  the  Supreme 
Being  had  fpoke  to  man,  he  would  have  fpoke  clearly  to 
him,  and  that  the  word  of  God  fliould  not  need  a  com- 
ment. 

VIII.  EuPH. — You  feem,  Alciphrouy  to  think  obfcuri- 
ty  a  defe£l  ;  but  if  it  fhould  prove  to  be  no  defe£l,  there 
would  then  be  no  force  in  this  objedion. 

Alc. — I  grant  there  would  not. 

'EuPH. — ^Pray  tell  me,  are  not  fpeech  and  flile  inflru- 
mental  to  convey  thoughts  and  notions,  to  beget  knowledge, 
opinion,  and  affent  t 

Alc. — ^This  is  true. 

EuPH. — And  is  not  the  perfe<£l;ion  of  an  inflrument  to 
be  meafured  by  the  ufe  to  which  it  is  fubfervient  ? 

Alc. — ^It  is. 


268  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

EuPH.— Whatjtherefore,  is  a  defe£l;  in  one  inftrument, 
may  be  none  in  another.  For  inftance,  edged  tools  are 
in  general  defigned  to  cut  •,  but  the  ufes  of  an  axe  and  a 
razor  being  difFerent,  it  is  no  defe£l  in  an  axe,  that  it 
hath  not  the  keen  edge  of  a  razor  :  Nor  in  the  razor,  that 
it  hath  not  the  weight  or  ftrength  of  an  axe. 

Alc— 'I  acknowledge  this  to  be  true. 

EuPH.— — And  may  we  not  fay  in  general,  that  every 
inftrument  is  perfe<St  which  anfwers  the  purpofe  or  inten- 
tion of  him  who  ufeth  it  ? 

Alc— We  may. 

EupH-— Hence  it  feems  to  follow,  that  no  man's  fpeech 
is  defective-  in  point  of  clearnefs,  though  it  fhould  not  be 
intelligible  to  all  men,  if  it  be  fufficiently  fo  to  thofe,  who 
he  intended,  fhould  underftand  it :  Or  though  it  fhould 
not  in  all  parts  be  equally  clear,  or  convey  a  perfe6l  knowl- 
edge, where  he  intended  only  an  imperfed^  hint. 

Alc. — -It  feems  fo. 

EupH. — Ought  we  not,  therefore,  to  know  the  intention 
of  the  fpeaker,  to  be  able  to  know  whether  his  ftile  be  ob- 
fcure  through  defe^l:  or  defign  ? 

Alc. — We  ought. 

EuPH. — But  is  it  pofTible  for  man  to  know  all  the  ends 
and  purpofes  of  God's  revelations  ^ 

Alc. — It  is  not. 

EuPH. — How  then  can  you  tell,  but  the  obfcurity  of 
fome  parts  of  fcripture  may  well  confift  with  the  purpofe 
which  you  know  not,  and  confequently  be  no  argument 
againft  its  coming  from  God  ?  The  books  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture were  written  in  ancient  languages,  at  diftant  times,  on 
fundry  occafions,  and  very  difFerent  fubjeiSts.  Is  it  not 
therefore  reafonable  to  imagine,  that  fome  parts  or  pafla- 
ges  might  have  been  clearly  enough  underftood  by  thofe, 
for  whofe  proper  ufe  they  were  principally  defigned,  and 
yet  feem  obfcure  to  us,  who  fpeak  another  language,  and 


piAL.  VI.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  269 

live  in  other  times  ?  Is  it  at  all  abfurd  or  unfuitable  to  the 
notion  we  have  of  God  or  man,  to  fuppofe  that  God  may 
reveal,  and  yet  reveal  with  a  referve,  upon  certain  remote 
and  fublime  fubje£ls,  content  to  give  us  hints  and  glimpfes, 
rather  than  views  ?  May  we  not  alfo  fuppofe  from  the  rea- 
fon  of  things,  and  the  analogy  of  nature,  that  fome 
points,  which  might  otherwife  have  been  more  clearly  ex- 
plained, were  left  obfcure  merely  to  encourage  our  dili- 
gence and  modefty  ?  Two  virtues,  which,  if  it  might 
not  feem  difrefpe£l:ful  to  fuch  great  men,  I  would  recom- 
mend to  the  Minute  Philofophers.  L%ficks  replied,  this 
indeed  is  excellent :  You  expecl  that  men  of  fcnfe  and 
fpirit  fliould  in  great  humility  put  out  their  eyes,  and 
blindly  fwallow  all  the  abfurdities  and  nonfenfe  that  (hall 
be  offered  to  them  for  divine  revelation. 

EupH. — On  the  contrary,  I  would  have  them  open 
their  eyes,  look  fharply,  and  try  the  fpirit,  whether  it  is 
of  God  :  and  not  fupinely  and  ignorantly  condemn  in  the 
grofs,  all  religions  together,  piety  with  fuperftition,  truth 
for  the  fake  of  error,  matter  of  fa£t  for  the  fake  of  fic- 
tion :  a  condu£t,  which,  at  firil  fight,  would  feem  ab- 
furd in  hiftory,  phyfic,  or  any  other  branch  of  human  in- 
quiry !  But  to  compare  the  chriftian  fyftern,  or  Holy 
Scriptures,  with  other  pretences  to  divine  revelation,  to 
confider  impartially  the  doctrines,  precepts,  and  events 
therein  contained  ;  weigh  them  in  the  balance  with  any 
other  religious,  natural,  moral,  or  hiftorical  accounts ; 
and  diligently  to  examine  all  thofe  proofs,  internal  and 
external,  that  for  fo  many  ages  have  been  able  to  influ- 
ence and  perfuade  fo  many  wife,  learned,  and  inquifitive 
men  :  Perhaps  they  might  find  in  it  certain  peculiar  cha- 
rafters,  which  fufficiently  diflinguifn  it  from  all  other  re- 
ligions and  pretended  revelations,  whereon  to  ground  a 
reafonable  faith.  In  which  cafe  I  leave  them  to  confider, 
whether  it  would  be  right  to  reje6l  with  peremptory  fcorn. 


270  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

a  revelation  fo  diftinguiflied  and  attefted,  upon  account 
of  obfcurity  in  feme  parts  of  it  ?  and  whether  it  would 
fecm  beneath  men  of  their  fenfe  and  fpirit  to  acknowledge, 
that,  for  ought  they  know,  a  light  inadequate  to  things, 
may  yet  be  adequate  to  the  purpofe  of  Providence  ?  and 
whether  it  might  be  unbecoming  their  fagacity,  and  cri- 
tical fkill,  to  own,  that  literal  tranflations  from  books 
in  an  ancient  oriental  tongue,  wherein  there  are  fo  many 
peculiarities,  as  to  the  manner  of  writing,  the  figures  of 
fpeech,  and  the  idioms  fo  remote  from  all  our  modern 
languages,  and  in  which  we  have  no  other  coeval  writ- 
ings extant,  might  well  be  obfcure  in  many  places,  efpe- 
cially  fuch  as  treat  of  fubjecls  fublime  and  difficult  in  their 
own  nature,  or  allude  to  things,  cufloms,  or  events, 
very  diltant  from  our  knowledge  ?  And  laftly,  whether 
it  might  not  become  their  character,  as  impartial  and  un- 
prejudiced men,  to  confider  the  bible  in  the  fame  light 
they  would  profane  authors  ?  Men  are  apt  to  make  great 
allowance  for  tranfpofitions,  omiffions,  and  literal  errors 
of  tranfcribers,  in  other  ancient  books,  and  very  great 
for  the  difference  of  ftile  and  manners,  efpeclally  in  eaft- 
ern  writings,  fuch  as  the  remains  of  Zoroajler  and  Confu^ 
dus,  and  why  not  in  the  prophets  ?  In  reading  Horace 
or  Perftusy  to  make  out  the  fenfe,  they  will  be  at  the 
pains  to  difcover  a  hidden  drama,  and  why  not  in  Solomon 
or  St.  Paul  P  I  hear  there  are  certain  ingenious  men, 
who  defplfe  king  David's  poetry,  and  yet  profefs  to  ad- 
mire Homer  and  Pindar.  If  there  be  no  prejudice  or  af- 
fe£1:ation  in  this,  let  them  but  make  a  literal  verfion  from 
thofe  authors  into  Englijh  profe,  and  they  will  then  be 
better  able  to  judge  of  the  pfalms. 

Alc. — You  may  difcourfe  and  expatiate  j  but  notwith- 
ftanding  all  you  have  faid,  or  (hall  fay,  it  is  a  clear  point, 
that  a  revelation  which  doth  not  reveal,  can  be  no  better 
than  a  contradiction  in  terms. 


[Dial.  VI.]     MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         271 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alciphron,  do  you  not  acknowledge 
the  light  of  the  fun  to  be  the  moft  glorious  produftion  of 
Providence  in  this  natural  world  ? 

Alc — Suppofe  I  do. 

EuPH. — This  hght,  neverthelefs,  which  you  caonot 
deny  to  be  of  God's  making,  fhines  only  on  the  furface 
of  things,  fhines  not  at  all  in  the  night,  fhines  imperfect- 
ly in  the  twilight,  is  often  interrupted,  refraCted,  and 
obfcured,  reprefents  diflant  things,  and  fmall  things  du- 
bioufly,  imperfe6i:ly,  or  not  at  all.      Is  this  true  or  no  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPK. — Should  it  not  follow,  therefore,  that  to  expect 
in  this  world  a  conftant  uniform  light  from  God,  with- 
out any  mixture  of  fhade  or  my  fiery,  would  be  departing 
from  the  rule  and  analogy  of  the  creation  ?  and  that  con- 
fequently  it  is  no  argument  the  light  of  revelation  is  not 
divine,  becaufc  it  may  not  be  fo  clear  and  full  as  you  ex- 
pect ;  or  becaufe  it  may  not  equally  ihine  at  all  times,  or 
in  all  places. 

Alc. — As  I  profefs  myfelf  candid  and  indifferent 
throughout  this  debate,  I  muft  needs  own  you  fay  fome 
plaufible  things,  as  a  man  of  argument  will  never  fail  to 
do  in  vindication  of  his  prejudices. 

IX.  But,  to  deal  plainly,  I  muft  tell  you  once  for  all, 
that  you  may  queftion  and  anfwer,  illuftrate  and  enlarge 
forever,  without  being  able  to  convince  me  that  the  chrif- 
tian  religion  is  of  divine  revelation.  I  have  faid  feveral 
things,  and  have  many  more  to  fay,  which,  believe  me, 
have  weight  not  only  with  myfelf,  but  with  many  great 
men,  my  very  good  friends,  and  will  have  weight,  what- 
ever Euphranor  can  fay  to  the  contrary. 

EuPH — O  Alciphron  !  I  envy  you  thehappinefs  of  fuch 
acquaintance.  But,  as  my  lot  fallen  in  this  remote  corn- 
^  deprives  me  of  that  advantage,  I  am  obliged  to  make 


272  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

the  moll  of  this  opportunity,  wliich  you  and  Lyftcles  have 
put  into  my  hands.  I  confider  you  as  two  able  chirurge- 
ons,  and  you  were  pleafed  to  confider  me  as  a  patient, 
whofe  cure  you  have  generoufly  undertaken.  Now  a  pa- 
tient muft  have  full  liberty  to  explain  his  cafe,  and  tell  all 
his  fymptoms,  the  concealing  of  which  might  prevent  a 
perfect  cure.  You  will  be  pleafed,  therefore,  to  under- 
ftand  me,  not  as  objecting  to,  or  arguing  againft,  either 
your  (kill  or  medicines,  but  only  as  fetting  forth  my  own 
cafe,  and  the  effe£l:s  they  have  upon  me.  Say,  Alciphron^ 
did  you  not  give  me  to  underftand,  that  you  would  ex- 
tirpate my  prejudices  ? 

Alc. — It  is  true :  a  good  phyfician  eradicates  every 
fibre  of  the  difeafe.  Come,  you  fhallhave  a  patient  hear- 
ing. 

EuPH. — Pray,  was  it  not  the  opinion  of  Plato y  that 
God  infpired  particular  men,  as  organs  or  trumpets,  to 
proclaim  and  found  forth  his  oracles  to  the  world  }  *  And 
was  not  the  fame  opinion  alfo  embraced  by  others  the 
greateft  writers  of  antiquity  ? 

Cri. — Socrates  feems  to  have  thought  that  all  true  po- 
ets fpok6  by  infpiration  ;  and  Tullyy  that  there  was  no 
extraordinary  genius  without  it.  This  hath  made  fomc 
of  our  afFe£led  free-thinkers  attempt  to  pafs  themfelves 
upon  the  world  for  enthufiafts. 

Alc. — What  would  you  infer  from  all  this  ? 

EuPH. — I  would  infer,  that  infpiration  fhould  feem 
nothing  impoflible  or  abfurd,  but  rather  agreeable  to  the 
light  of  reafon,  and  the  notions  of  mankind.  And  this, 
I  fuppofe  you  will  acknowledge,  having  made  it  an  ob- 
jedtion  againft  a  particular  revelation,  that  there  are  fo 
many  pretences  to  it  throughout  the  world. 

Alc. — O  Euphranor,  he  who  looks  into  the  bottom  of 
tilings,  and  refolves    them   into  their  firft  principles,  is 

*  Plato  in  lone. 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         273 

not  eafily  amufed  with  words.  The  word  infpiration  founds 
indeed  big,  but  let  us,  if  you  pleafe,  take  an  original 
view  of  the  thing  fignified  by  it.  To  infpire,  is  a  word 
borrowed  from  the  Latirty  and,  flricSlly  taken,  means  no 
more  than  to  breathe  or  blow  in  :  nothing,  therefore,  can 
be  infpired,  but  what  can  be  blown  or  breathed,  and 
nothing  can  be  fo,  but  wind  or  vapour,  which  indeed  may 
fill  or  pufr  up  men,  with  fanatical  and  hypochondriacal 
ravings.      This  fort  of  infpiration  I  readily  admit. 

EuPH. — What  you  fay  is  fubtle,  and  I  know  not  what 
efFe£t  it   might    have  upon   me,    if    your  profound   dif- 
courfe  did  nbt  hinder  its  own  operation. 
Alc. — How  fo  ? 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  AlciphroJiy  do  you  difcourfe,  or  do 
you  not  .''  To  me  it  feems  that  you  difcourfe  admiraWy. 
Alc. — Be  that  at  it  will,  it  is  certain  I  difcourfe. 
EuPH. — But  when  I  endeavor  to  look  into  the  bottom 
of  things,  behold  !  a  fcruple  rifeth  in  my  mind  how  this 
can  be  ;  for  to  difcourfe  is  a  word  of  Latiii  derivation,  which 
originally  fignifies  to  run  about  *,  and  a  man  cannot  run 
about,  but  he  muft  change  place,  and  move  his  legs  ;  fo 
long  therefore  as  you  fit  on  this  bench,  you  cannot  be  faid 
to  difcourfe.  Solve  me  this  difficulty,  and  then  perhaps 
I  may  be  able  to  folve  yours. 

Alc. — You  are  to  know,  that  difcourfe  is  a  word  bor- 
rowed from  fenfible  things,  to  exprefs  an  invifible  aclion 
of  the  mind,  reafoning  or  inferring  one  thing  from  ano- 
ther :  And,  in  this  tranflated  fenfe,  we  may  be  faid  to 
difcourfe,  though  we  fitflill. 

EuPH. — And  may  we  not  as  well  conceive,  that  the 
term  infpiration  might  be  borrowed  from  fenfible  things, 
to  denote  an  a6lion  of  God,  in  an  extraordinary  manner, 
influencing,  exciting,  and  enlightening  the  mind  of  a 
Prophet  or  an  Apoflle  ?  Who,  in  this  fecondary,  figura- 
tive, and  tranflated  fenfe,  may  truly  be  faid  to  be  infpired, 

L  1 


274  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

though  there  fhould  be  nothing  hi  the  cafe  of  that  wind 
or  vapour  impHed  in  the  original  fenfe  of  the  word  ?  It 
feems  to  me,  that  we  may  by  looking  into  our  own  minds 
plainly  perceive  certain  inftin61:s,  impulfes,  and  tendencies, 
which  at  proper  periods  and  occafions  fpring  up  unac- 
countably in  the  foul  of  man.  We  obferve  very  vifible 
figns  of  the  fame  in  all  other  animals.  And  thefe  things 
being  ordinary  and  natural,  what  hinders  but  we  may  con- 
ceive it  poiTible  for  the  human  mind,  upon  an  extraordi- 
nary account,  to  be  moved  in  an  extraordinary  manner, 
and  its  faculties  ftirred  up  and  actuated  by  a  fupernaturai 
power  ?  That  there  are,  and  have  been,  and  are  likely  to 
be  wild  vifions,  and  hypochondriacal  ravings,  no  body 
can  deny  :  But  to  infer  from  thence,  that  there  are  no 
true  infpirations  would  be  too  like  concluding,  that  fome 
men  are  not  in  their  fenfes,  becaufe  other  men  are  fools. 
And  though  lam  no  prophet,  and  confequently  cannot 
pretend  to  a  clear  notion  of  this  matter  ;  yet  I  fhall  not 
therefore  take  upon  me  to  deny,  but  a  true  prophet  or  in- 
fpired  perfon  might  have  had  as  certain  means  of  difcern- 
ing  between  divine  infpiration  and  hypochondriacal  fancy, 
as  you  can  between  ileeping  and  waking,  till  you  have 
proved  the  contrary.  You  may  meet  in  the  book  of  'Jer- 
emiah with  this  pafiage  :  *  The  prophet  that  hath  a  dream, 

*  let  him  tell  a  dream  :   And  he  that  hath  my  word,  let 

*  him  fpeak  my  word  faithfully  :   what  is  the  chaff  to  the 

*  wheat,  faith  tlie  Lord  ?  Is  not  my  word  like  as  a  fire., 
^  faith  the   Lord,  and  like  a  hammer  that  breaketh   the 

*  rock  in  pieces  ?'  *  You  fee  here  a  difl:in£l:ion  made  be- 
tween wheat  and  chaff,  true  and  fpurious,  with  the  migh- 
ty force  and  power  of  the  former.  But  I  beg  pardon  for 
quoting  Scripture  to  you.  I  make  my  appeal  to  the  gen- 
eral  fenfe   of    mankind,  and  the  opinion  of  the  wifeft 

*  Jcrem.  xxiil.  28,  29. 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  275 

heathens,  which  feems  fufficient  to  conclude  divine  infpi- 
ration  poflible,  if  not  probable,  at  lealt  till  you  prove  the 
contrary. 

X.  Alc— The  poflibility  of  infpirations  and  revela- 
tions I  do  not  think  it  neceffary  to  deny.  Make  the  befl 
you  can  of  this  conceflion. 

EuPH. — Now  what  is  allowed  poflible  we  may  fuppofe 
in  fa6l. 

Alc. — We  may. 

EuPH. — Let  us  then  fuppofe,  that  God  had  been  pleaf- 
ed  to  make  a  revelation  to  men  ;  and  that  he  infpired  fome 
as  a  means  to  inftrudt  others.  Having  fuppofcd  this,  can 
you  deny,  that  their  infpired  difcourfes  and  revelations 
might  have  been  committed  to  writing,  or  that  being 
written,  after  a  long  tra£l:  of  time  they  might  become  in 
feveral  places  obfcure ;  that  fome  of  them  might  even 
originally  have  been  lefs  clear  than  others,  or  that  they 
might  fufFer  fome  alteration  by  frequent  tranfcribing,  as 
other  writings  are  known  to  have  done  ?  Is  it  not  even  ve- 
ry probable  that  all  thefe  things  would  happen  ? 

Alc. — I  grant  it. 

EuPH.—— And  granting  this,  with  what  pretence  can 
you  reje£l  the  Holy  Scripture  as  not  being  divine,  upon 
the  account  of  fuch  figns  or  marks,  as  you  acknowledge 
would  probably  attend  a  divine  revelation  tranfmitted  down 
to  us,  through  fo  many  ages  ? 

Alc.-— But  allowing  all  that  in  reafon  you  can  defire, 
and  granting  that  this  may  account  for  fome  obfcurity, 
may  reconcile  fome  fmall  differences,  or  fatisfy  us  how 
fome  difhculties  might  arife  by  inferting,  omitting,  or 
changing  here  and  there  a  letter,  a  v/ord,  or  perhaps  a 
fentence  :  Yet  thefe  are  but  fmall  matters,  in  refpe61:  of 
the  much  more  confiderable  and  weighty  objections  I 
could  produce,  againfl  the  confelTed  doctrines,  or  fubje^l- 
matter  of  thofe  writings.     Let  us  fee  what  is  contained 


2)6         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

in  thefe  facred  books,  and  then  judge  whether  it  is  prob- 
able, or  poflible,  fuch  revelations  fhould  ever  have  been 
made  by  God  ?  Now  I  defy  the  wit  ,of  man  to  contrive 
any  thing  more  extravagant,  than  the  accounts  we  there 
find  of  apparitions,  devils,  miracles,  God  man ife ft  in  the 
flefti,  regeneration,  grace,  felf-denial,  refurreclion  of  the 
dead,  and  fuch  like  agri  /omnia  :  Things  fo  odd,  unac- 
countable, and  remote  from  the  apprehenfion  of  man- 
kind, you  may  as  foon  walh  a  blackniore  white,  as  clear 
them  of  abfurdity.  No  critical  fkill  can  juftify  them, 
no  tradition  recommend  them,  I  will  not  fay  for  divine 
revelations,  but  even  for  the  inventions  of  men  of  fenfe. 
EuPH. — I  had  always  a  great  opinion  of  your  fagacity, 
but  now,  Alcipkron,  I  confider  you  as  fomething  more 
than  man  :  Elfe  how  fhould  it  be  poflible  for  you  to  know, 
what  or  how  far  it  may  be  proper  for  God  to  reveal  ?  Me- 
thinks  it  may  confift,  with  all  due  deference  to  the  greateft 
of  human  underftandings,  to  fuppofe  them  ignorant  of 
many  things,  which  are  not  fiiited  to  their  faculties,  or  lie 
out  of  their  reach.  Even  the  councils  of  princes  lit  often 
beyond  the  ken  of  their  fubje6ls,  who  can  only  know  fo 
much  as  is  revealed  by  thofe  at  the  helm  ;  and  are  often 
unqualified  to  judge  of  the  ufefulnefs  and  tendency  even 
of  that,  till  in  due  time  the  fcheme  unfolds,  and  is  ac- 
counted for  by  fucceeding  events.  That  many  points  con- 
tained in  Holy  Scripture  are  remote  from  the  common  ap- 
prehenfions  of  mankind,  cannot  be  denied.  But  I  do  not 
fee,  that  it  follows  from  thence,  they  are  not  of  divine 
reyplation.  On  the  contrary,  fliould  it  not  feem  reafona- 
ble  to  fuppofe,  that  a  revelation  from  God  fhould  contain 
fomething  different  in  kind,  or  more  excellent  in  degree, 
than  what  lay  open  to  the  common  fenfe  of  men,  or  could 
even  be  difcovered  by  the  moft  fagacious  philofopher  ^ 
Accounts  of  feparate  fpirits,  good  or  bad,  prophefies, 
miracles,  and  fuch  things,  are  undoubtedly  Grange :  But 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  277 

I  would  fain  fee  how  you   can  prove   them  impofiible  or 
abfurd. 

Alc. — Some  thhigs  there  are  fo  evidently  ahfurd,  that 
it  would  be  almoft  as  filly  to  difprove  them  as  to  believe 
them  :  And  I  take  thefe  to  be  of  that  clafs. 

XI.   EuPH.— — But   is   it   not    polTible,    fume  men  may 
fhew  as  much   prejudice   and  narrownefs  in  rejedl:ing  ail 
fuch  accounts,   as  others    might  eafmefs  and  credulity  in 
admitting  them  ?   I  never  duril  make  my  own  obfervation 
or  experience  the  rule  and  meafure  of  things  fpiritual,  fu- 
pernatural,   or  relating  to  another  v/orld,  bccaufe  I  iliould 
think  it  a  very   bad  one,  even  for  the  vifible  and  natural 
things  of  this  :   It  would  be  judging  hke  the  Siawrfey  who 
was  pofitive  it  did  not  freeze  in  Holland.^  becaufe  he  had 
never  known  fuch   a  thing  as  hard  water,  or  ice,   in  his 
own  country.      I  cannot   comprehend  why  any  one,   who 
admits  the  union  of  the  foul  and  body,  fliould  pronounce 
it  impolfible  for  the  human  nature  to  be  united  to  the  di- 
vine, in  a  manner  inefFalbe  and  incomprehenfible  by  reafon. 
Neither  can  I  fee  any  abfurdity  in  admitting,  that  finfui  man 
may  become  regenerate,  or  a  new  creature,   by  the  grace 
of  God  reclaiming  him  from  a  carnal  life,   to  a   fpiritual 
life  of  virtue  and  holinefs.      And  fince  the  being  governed 
by  fenfe    and  appetite,  is   contrary  to  the   happinefs  and 
perfe^ion  of  a  rational  creature,  I  do  not  at  all  wonder 
that  we  are  prefcribed  feli-denial.      As  for  the  refurreclion 
of  the  dead,  I  do  not  conceive  it  fo  very  contrary  to  the  anal- 
ogy of  nature,  when  I  behold  vegetables  left  to  rot  in  the 
earth,   rife  up  again  with  new  life  and  vigor,  or   a  worm 
to   all  appearance    dead,    change    its    nature,     and   that, 
which  in  its  firft  being  crawled  on  the  earth,  become   a 
new  fpecies,   and  fly   abroad   with   wings.      And  indeed 
»when  I  confider,  that  the  foul  and  body  are  things  fo  ve- 
ry different  and  heterogeneous,  I  can  fee  no  reafon  to  be 


278         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

pofitive,  that  the  one  muft  necefTarily  be  extlnguiflied 
upon  the  diflblution  of  the  other  ;  efpecially  fince  I  find 
in  myfelf  a  ftrong  natural  defire  of  immortality,  and  I 
have  not  obferved  that  natural  appetites  are  wont  to  be 
given  in  vain,  or  merely  to  be  frudrated.  Upon  the 
whole,  thofe  points  which  you  account  extravagant  and 
abfurd,  I  dare  not  pronounce  to  be  fo  till  I  fee  good  rea- 
fon  for  it. 

XII.  Cri.-^ — No,  AlciplDron,  your  pofitive  airs  muft  not 
pafs  for  proofs  ;  nor  will  it  fuffice  to  fay,  things  are  con- 
trary to  common  fenfe,  to  make  us  think  they  are  fo  :  By 
common  fenfe,  I  fuppofe,  fliould  be  meant  either  the  ge- 
neral fenfe  of  mankind,  or  the  approved  reafon  of  think- 
ing men.  Now  I  believe  that  all  thofe  articles,  you  have, 
with  fo  much  capacity  and  fire,  at  once  fummed  up  and 
exploded,  may  be  fhewn  to  be  not  difagreeable,  much 
iefs  contrary  to  common  fenfe,  in  one  or  other  of  thefe 
acceptations.  That  the  Gods  might  appear  and  converfe 
among  men,  and  that  the  Divinity  might  inhabit  human 
nature,  were  points  allowed  by  the  heathens  ;  and  for 
this  I  appeal  to  their  poets  and  philofophers,  whofe  tefti- 
monies  are  fo  numerous  and  clear,  that  it  would  be  an 
aflront  to  repeat  them  to  a  man  of  any  education.  And 
though  the  notion  of  a  devil  may  not  be  fo  obvious,  or 
fo  fully  defcribed,  yet  there  appear  plain  traces  of  it,  ei- 
ther from  reafon  or  tradition.  The  later  Platonijlsy  as 
Porphyry  and  lamblichus,  are  very  clear  in  the  point,  al-. 
lowing  that  evil  demons  delude  and  tempt,  hurt  and  pof- 
fefs  mankind.  That  the  ancient  Greeks,  Chaldeans,  and 
Egyptians^  believed  both  good  and  bad  angels,  may  be 
plainly  collefted  from  Plato,  Plutarch,  and  the  Chaldeafi 
oracles.  Origen  obferves,  that  almoft  all  the  Gentiles, 
who  held  the  being  of  demons,  allowed  there  were  bad 
ones.*    There  is  even  fomething  as  early  as  Hcmer,  that 

*  Orlgcn.  I.  7.  contra  Cclfum. 


[Dial.  VL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  279 

is  thought  by  the  learned  cardinal,  BeJfario7i^\  to  allude  to 
the  fall  of  fatan,  in  the  account  of  Ate^  whom  the  poet 
reprefents  as  caft  down  from  heaven  by  Jove^  and  then 
wandering  about  the  earth,  doing  michief  to  mankind. 
This  fame  Ate  is  faid  by  Hefiody  to  be  the  daughter  of 
difcord  ;  and  by  Euripides y  in  his  HippolytuSy  is  mention- 
ed as  a  tempter  to  evil.  And  it  is  very  remarkable,  that 
Plutarchy  in  his  book  De  vitando  are  alienoy  fpeaks  after 
Empedoclesy  of  certain  demons  that  fell  from  heaven,  and 
were  banifhed  by  God,  Daimcfies  theelatoi  kai  auranopeties. 
Nor  is  that  lefs  re  markable,  which  is  obferved  by  Fici" 
?nis  from  Pkerecydes  Syrusy  that  there  had  been  a  down- 
fal  of  demons,  who  revolted  from  God  :  and  that  Opiofie- 
us  (the  old  ferpent)  was  head  of  that  rebellious  crew.**— • 
Then  as  to  the  other  articles,  let  any  one  confider  what 
the  Pythagcrea?is  taught,  of  the  purgation  and  lufiSy  or  de- 
liverance of  the  foul  :  What  moft  philofophers,  but  efpe- 
cially  the  Jloicsy  of  fubduing  our  paffions  :  What  Plato 
and  Hierocles  have  faid  of  forgiving  injuries :  What  the 
acute  and  fagacious  Arijlotle  writes,  in  his  Ethics  to  A7- 
comachusy  of  the  fpiritual  and  divine  life,  that  life  which, 
according  to  him,  is  too  excellent  to  be  thought  human  ; 
info  much  as  man,  fo  far  forth  as  man,  cannot  attain  to 
it  'y  but  only  fo  far  forth  as  he  hath  fomething  divine  in 
him  :  And  particularly,  let  him  reflect  on  what  Socrates 
taught,  to  wit,  that  virtue  is  not  to  be  learned  from  men, 
that  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  that  good  men  are  not  good 
by  virtue  of  human  care  or  diligence,  ouh  einai  duthropinen 
epinedeian  e  agafhoi  agathci  gigtio7itai*  Let  any  man,  who 
really  thinks,  but  confider  what  other  thinking  men  have 
thought,  who  cannot  be  fuppofed  prejudiced  in  favor  of 
revealed  religion  ;    and  he  will  fee  caufe,  if  not  to  think 

t  In  calumnlat  Platonis,  1   3.  c.  7. 

**  Vid.  Argum.  in  Phsdrum  Platonis. 

*  Vid,  Plat,  in  Protag.  &  alibi  paflim. 


28o  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

with  reverence  cf  the  chriftlan  do£lrines  of  grace,  felf- 
denial,  regeneration,  fa n(^iii cation,  and  the  reft,  even 
the  moft  myfterious,  at  lead  to  judge  more  modeftly  and 
warily,  than  he  who  fliall,  with  a  confident  air,  pro- 
nounce them  abfurd,  and  repugnant  to  the  reafon  of 
mankind.  And  in  regard  to  a  future  ftate,  the  common 
fenfe  of  the  Gentile  world,  modern  or  ancient,  and  the 
opinions  of  the  wifeft  men  of  antiquity,  are  things  fo  well 
known,  that  I  need  fay  nothing  about  them.  To  me  it 
feems,  the  Minute  Philofophers,  when  they  appeal  to 
Veafon  and  common  fenfe,  mean  only  the  fenfe  of  their 
own  party  :  A  coin,  how  current  foever  among  them- 
felves,  that  of  other  men  will  bring  to  the  touchftone, 
and  pafs  for  no  more  than  it  is  worth. 

Lys. — Be  thofe  notions  agreeable  to  what  or  whofe 
fenfe  they  may,  they  are  not  agreeable  to  mine.  And  if 
I  am  thought  ignorant  for  this,  I  pity  thofe  who  think 
me  fo. 

Xin.  I  enjoy  myfeif,  and  follow  my  own  courfes, 
without  remorfe  or  fear  :  Which  I  fhould  not  do,  if  my 
head  were  filled  with  enthufiafm  ;  whether  gentile  or 
chriftian,  philofophical  or  revealed,  it  is  all  one  to  me. 
Let  others  knew  or  believe  what  they  can,  and  make  the 
beft  on't,  I,  for  my  part,  am  happy  and  fafe  in  my  igno- 
rance. 

Cri. — Perhaps  not  fo  fafe  neither. 

Lys. — Why,  furely  you  won't  pretend  that  ignorance 
is  criminal  ? 

Cri. — Ignorance  alone  is  not  a  crime.  But  that  wilful 
ignorance,  afFe£led  ignorance,  ignorance  from  lloth,  or 
conceited  ignorance,  is  a  fault,  might  eafily  be  proved  by 
the  teftimony  of  heathen  writers  :  And  it  needs  no  proof 
to  fhew  that  if  ignorance  be  our  fault,  we  cannot  be  ic- 
cure  in  it  as  an  excufe. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  281 

Lys. — Honcft  Crito  feems  to  hint,  that  a  man  (hould 
take  care  to  inform  himfelf,  while  alive,  left  his  neglect 
be  punifhed  when  he  is  dead.  Nothing  is  fo  pufillani- 
mous  and  unbecoming  a  gentleman  as  fear  :  Nor  could 
you  take  a  likelier  courfe  to  fix  and  rivet  a  man  of  honor 
in  guilt,  than  by  attempting  to  frighten  him  out  of  it. 
This  is  the  ftale,  abfurd  ftratagem  of  priefts,  and  that 
which  makes  them,  and  their  rehgion,  more  odious  and 
contemptible  to  me,  than  all  the  other  articles  put  toge- 
ther. 

Cri. — I  would  fain  know  why  it  may  not  be  reafona- 
ble  for  a  man  of  honor,  or  any  man  who  has  done  amifs, 
to  fear  ?  Giiilt  is  the  natural  parent  of  fear ;  and  nature 
is  not  ufed  to  make  men  fear,  where  there  is  no  occalion. 
That  impious  and  profane  men  fhould  expedi  divine  pun- 
ifliment,  doth  not  feem  fo  abfurd  to  conceive  :  And  that, 
under  this  expectation,  they  (hould  be  uneafy,  and  even 
afraid,  how  confiftent  foever  it  may  or  may  not  be  with 
honor,  I  am  fure  confifts  with  reafon, 

Lys. — That  thing  of  hell  and  eternal  puniftiment  is  the 
moft  abfurd,  as  well  as  the  moft  difagreeable  thought  that 
ever  entered  into  the  head  of  mortal  man. 

Cri. — But  you  muft  own,  that  it  is  not  an  abfurdity  pe- 
culiar to  chriftians,  fince  Socrates,  that  great  free-thinker 
of  Athensy  thought  it  probable  there  might  be  fuch  a 
thing  as  impious  men  for  ever  punifhed  in  hell.  *  It  is 
recorded  of  this  fame  Socrates y  that  he  has  been  often 
known  to  think  for  four  and  twenty  hours  together,  fixed 
in  the  fame  pofture,  and  wraped  up  in  meditation. 

Lys. — Our  modern  free-thinkers  are  a  more  lively  fort 
of  men.  Thofe  old  philofophers  were  moft  of  them 
whimfical.  They  had,  in  my  judgment,  a  narrow,  timor- 
ous way  of  thinking,  which  by  no  means  came  up  to  the 
frank  humor  of  our  times. 

•  Vid.  Platon.  in  Gorgia. 

M  m 


282  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

Cri.— But  I  appeal  to  your  own  judgment,  if  a  man, 
who  knows  not  the  nature  of  the  foul,  can  be  aflured  by 
the  light  of  reafon,  whether  it  is  mortal  or  immortal  ? 

An  ftmul  inter  eat  nohijcum  morte  peremptay 
An  tenehras  orci  vlfat  vajiafque  lacunas  P 

Lys. — But  what  if  I  know  the  nature  of  the  foul  ? 
What  if  I  have  been  taught  that  whole  fecret  by  a  modern 
free-thinker  ?  A  man  of  fcience  who  difcovered  it  not  by 
a  tirefome  introverfion  of  his  faculties,  not  by  amufing 
himfelf  in  a  labyrinth  of  notions,  or  ftupidly  thinking  for 
whole  days  and  nights  together,  but  by  looking  into  things, 
and  obfcrving  the  analogy  of  nature. 

XIV.  This  great  man  is  a  philofopher  by  fire,  who  has 
made  many  procefles  upon  vegetables.  It  is  his  opinion 
that  men  and  vegetables  are  really  of  the  fame  fpecies ; 
that  animals  are  moving  vegetables,  and  vegetables  fixed 
animals  5  that  the  mouths  of  the  one,  and  the  roots  of  the 
other,  ferve  to  the  fame  ufe,  differing  only  in  pofition  5 
that  blolToms  and  flowers  anfwer  to  the  moft  indecent  and 
concealed  parts  in  the  human  body ;  that  vegetable  and 
animal  bodies  are  both  alike  organized,  and  that  in  both 
there  is  life,  or  a  certain  motion  and  circulation  of  juices, 
through  proper  tubes  or  velTels.  I  fhall  never  forget  this 
able  man's  unfolding  the  nature  of  the  foul  in  the  follow- 
ing manner.  The  foul,  faid  he,  is  that  fpecific  form,  or 
principle,  from  whence  proceed  the  diftin61:  qualities  or 
properties  of  things.  Now,  as  vegetables  are  a  more  Am- 
ple and  lefs  perfedl  compound,  and  confequently  more  ea- 
fily  analyfed  than  animals,  we  will  begin  with  the  con- 
templation of  the  fouls  of  vegetables.  Know  then,  that 
the  foul  of  any  plant,  rofemary  for  inftance,  is  neither 
more  nor  lefs  than  its  eflential  oil.     Upon  this  depends 


[Dial.  VL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         2B3 

its  peculiar  fragrance,  tafte,  and  medicinal  virtues,  or,  in, 
other  words,  its  life  and  operations.  Separate  or  extract 
this  cfTential  oil  by  chymic  art,  and  you  get  the  foul  of 
the  plant :  What  remains  being  a  dead  carcafs,  without 
any  one  property  or  virtue  of  the  plant,  which  is  preferv- 
ed  entire  in  the  oil,  a  drachm  whereof  goes  further  than 
feveral  pounds  of  the  plant.  Now  this  fame  eflential  oil 
is  itfelf  a  compofition  of  fulphur  and  fait,  or  of  a  grofs 
un£tuous  fubftance,  and  a  fine  fubtile  principle  or  volatile 
fait  imprifoned  therein.  This  volatile  fait  is  properly  the 
eflence  of  the  foul  of  the  plant,  containing  all  its  virtue, 
and  the  oil  is  the  vehicle  of  this  mod  fubtile  part  of  the 
foul,  or  that  which  fixes  and  individuates  it.  And  as, 
upon  feparation  of  this  oil  from  the  plant,  the  plant  died, 
fo  a  fecond  death,  or  death  of  the  foul,  enfues  upon  the 
refolution  of  this  eflential  oil  into  its  principles  ;  as  ap- 
pears by  leaving  it  expofed  for  fome  time  to  the  open  air, 
fo  that  the  volatile  fait,  or  fpirit,  may  fly  off;  after  which 
the  oil  remains  dead  and-infipid,  but  without  any  fenfible 
diminution  of  its  weight,  by  the  lofs  of  that  volatile  ef- 
fcnce  of  the  foul,  that  ethereal  aura,  that  fpark  of  enti- 
ty, which  returns  and  mixes  with  the  folar  light,  the  uni- 
verfal  foul  of  the  world,  and  only  fource  of  life,  whether 
vegetable,  animal,  or  intelle£lual ;  which  differ  only  ac- 
cording to  the  grofsnefs  or  finenefs  of  the  vehicles,  and 
the  different  textures  of  the  natural  alembics,  or,  in  other 
words,  the  organized  bodies,  where  the  abovementioned 
volatile  cflTence  inhabits  and  is  elaborated,  where  it  a<3:s 
and  is  a6ted  upon.  This  chymical  fyfl:em  lets  you  at  once 
into  the  nature  of  the  foul,  and  accounts  for  all  its  phaeno- 
mena.  In  that  compound  which  is  called  man,  the  foul, 
or  eflential  oil,  is  what  commonly  goes  by  the  name  of 
animal  fpirit :  For  you  muft  know,  it  is  a  point  agreed 
by  chymift:s,  that  fpirits  are  nothing  but  the  more  fubtile 
oils.     Now  in  proportion,  as  the  efl^ential  oil  of  the  ve- 


2B4  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

getable  man  is  more  fubtile  than  that  of  other  vegetables, 
the  volatile  fait  that  impregnates  it  is  more  at  liberty  to 
ad: :  Which  accounts  for  thofe  fpecific  properties  and  ac- 
tions of  human  kind,  which  diftinguifh  them  above  other 
creatures.  Hence  you  may  learn  why,  among  the  wife  an- 
cients, fait  was  another  name  for  wit,  and,  in  our  times,  a 
dull  man  is  faid  to  be  infipid  or  infulfe.  Aromatic  oils, 
matured  by  great  length  of  time,  turn  to  falts  :  This  fhews 
why  human  kind  grow  wifer  by  age.  And  what  I  have 
faid  of  the  twofold  death  or  dillblution,  firft,  of  the  com- 
pound, by  feparating  the  foul  from  the  organical  body, 
and  fecondly,  of  the  foul  itfelf,  by  dividing  the  volatile  fait 
from  the  oil,  illuftrates  and  explains  that  notion  of  cer- 
tain ancient  philofophers  :  That  as  the  man  was  a  com- 
pound of  foul  and  body,  fo  the  foul  was  compounded  of 
the  mind,  or  intellect,  and  its  aethereal  vehicle  :  And  that 
the  feparation  of  foul  and  body,  or  death  of  the  man,  is, 
after  a  long  tra61;  of  time,  fucceeded  by  a  fecond  death 
of  the  foul  itfelf ;  to  wit,  the  feparation  or  deliverance 
of  the  intellect  from  its  vehicle,  and  re-union  with  the 
fun. 

EuPH. — O  LyftckSf  your  ingenious  friend  has  opened  a 
new  fcene,  and  explained  the  moft  obfcure  and  difficult 
points  in  the  cleareft  and  eafieft  manner. 

Lys. — I  muft  own  this  account  of  things  ftruck  my 
fancy.  I  am  no  great  lover  of  creeds  or  fyftems  :  But 
when  a  notion  is  reafonable,  and  grounded  on  experience, 
I  know  how  to  value  it. 

Cri. — In  good  earnelt,  Lyficlesy  do  you  believe  this  ac- 
count to  be  true  ? 

Lys. — Why  then,  in  good  earneft,  I  do  not  know 
whether  I  do  or  no.  But  I  can  afTure  you  the  ingenious 
artift  himfelf  has  not  the  leaft  doubt  about  it.  And  to 
believe  an  aitifl  in  his  art,  is  a  juft  maxim  and  fhort  way 
to  fcience. 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  ^8^ 

Cri.— But  what  relation  hath  the  foul  of  man  to  chy* 
mic  art  ?  The  fame  reafon,  that  bids  me  trull  a  fkilful 
artift  in  his  art,  inclines  me  to  fufpeft  him  out  of  his  art. 
Men  are  too  apt  to  reduce  unknown  things  to  the  ftandard 
of  what  they  know,  and  bring  a  prejudice  or  tincture 
from  things  they  have  been  converfant  in,  to  judge  there- 
by of  things  in  which  they  have  not  been  converfant.  I 
have  known  a  fiddler  gravely  teach,  that  the  foul  was  har- 
mony ;  a  geometrician  very  pofitive,  that  the  foul  mud  be 
extended  ;  and  a  phyfician,  who  having  pickled  half  a  do- 
zen embryos,  and  diflected  as  many  rats  and  frogs,  grew 
conceited,  and  affirmed  there  was  no  foul  at  all,  and  that 
it  was  a  vulgar  error. 

Lys. — My  notions  fit  eafy.  I  fhall  hot  engage  in  pe- 
dantic difputes  about  them.  They  who  don't  like  them 
may  leave  them. 

EuPK. — This,  I  fuppofe,  is  faid  much  like  a  gentle- 
man. 

XV.  But  pray,  Lyftcks,  tell  me  whether  the  clergy 
come  within  that  general  rule  of  yours  :  That  an  artifl 
may  be  trufted  in  his  art  ^ 

Lys. — By  no  means. 

EuPH. — Why  fo  ? 

Lys. — Becaufe  I  take  myfelfto  know  as  much  of  thofc 
matters  as  they  do. 

EupH. — But  you  allow  that,  in  any  other  profeffion, 
one  that  hath  fpent  much  time  and  pains,  may  attain 
more  knowledge,  than  a  man  of  equal  or  better  parts, 
who  never  made  it  his  particular  bufinefs. 

Lys. — I  do. 

EuPH. — And  neverthelefs,  in  things  religious  and  di- 
vine, you  think  all  men  equally  knowing. 

Lys. — I  do  not  fay  all  men.  But  I  think  all  men  of 
fenfe  competent  judges. 


tU  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

EuPH.— What !  are  the  divine  attributes  and  difpenfa- 
tions  to  mankind,  the  true  end  and  happinefs  of  rational 
creatures,  with  the  means  of  improving  and  perfecting 
their  beings,  more  eafy  and  obvious  points,  than  thofc 
which  make  the  fubjeCt  of  every  common  profeffion  ? 

Lys.— Perhaps  not  :  but  one  thing  I  know,  fome 
things  are  fo  manifeftly  abfurd,  that  no  authority  (hall 
make  me  give  into  them.  For  inftance,  if  all  mankind 
fhould  pretend  to  perfuade  me  that  the  Son  of  God  was 
born  upon  earth  in  a  poor  family,  was  fpit  upon,  buffeted, 
and  crucified,  lived  like  a  beggar,  and  died  like  a  thief,  I 
(hould  never  believe  one  fyllable  of  it.  Common  fenfe 
{hews  every  one,  what  figure  it  would  be  decent  for  an 
earthly  prince,  or  ambaffador,  to  make  ;  and  the  Son  of 
God,  upon  an  embaffy  from  heaven,  muft  needs  have 
made  an  appearance  beyond  all  others  of  great  eclat,  and, 
in  all  refped:s,  the  very  reverfe  of  that  which  Jefus  Chrifl 
is  reported  to  have  made,  even  by  his  own  hiftorians. 

EuPH. — O  Lyftclesy  though  I  had  ever  fo  much  mind 
to  approve  and  applaud  your  ingenious  reafoning,  yet  I  dare 
not  affent  to  this  for  fear  of  Crito, 

Lys. — Why  fo  ? 

EuPH. — ^Becaufe  he  obferved  jufl:  now,  that  men  judge 
of  things  they  do  not  know,  by  prejudices  from  things 
they  do  know.  And  I  fear  he  would  object  that  you, 
who  have  been  converfant  in  the  grand  mondey  having  your 
head  filled  with  a  notion  of  attendants,  and  equipages, 
and  liveries,  the  familiar  badges  of  human  grandeur,  are 
lefs  able  to  judge  of  that  which  is  truly  divine  :  and  that 
one  who  had  feen  lefs,  and  thought  more,  would  be  apt 
to  imagine  a  pompous  parade  of  worldly  greatnefs,  not 
the  moft  becoming  the  author  of  a  fpiritual  religion,  that 
was  defigned  to  wean  men  from  the  world,  and  raife  them 
above  it. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  287 

Cri. — Do  you  think,  Lyjicles^  if  a  man  (hould  make 
his  entrance  into  London^  in  a  rich  fuit  of  clothes,  with  a 
hundred  gilt  coaches,  and  a  thoufand  laced  footmen,  that 
this  would  be  a  more  divine  appearance,  and  have  more 
of  true  grandeur  in  it,  that  if  he  had  power  with  a  word 
to  heal  all  manner  of  difeafes,  to  raife  the  dead  to  life, 
and  ftill  the  raging  of  the  winds  and  fea  ? 

Lys. — Without  all  doubt  it  muft  be  very  agreeable  to 
common  fenfe  to  fuppofe,  that  he  could  reftore  others  to 
life,  who  could  not  fave  his  own.  You  tell  us,  indeed, 
that  he  rofe  again  from  the  dead  :  but  what  occafion  was 
there  for  him  to  die,  the  juft  for  the  unjuft,  the  Son  of 
God  for  wicked  men  ?  And  why  in  that  individual  place  I 
Why  at  that  very  time  above  all  others  ?  Why  did  he 
not  make  his  appearance  earlier,  and  preach  in  all  parts 
of  the  world,  that  the  benefit  might  have  been  more  ex- 
tenfive  and  equal?  Account  for  all  thefe  points,  and  re- 
concile them,  if  you  can,  to  the  common  notions  and 
plain  fenfe  of  mankind. 

Cri. — And  what  if  thofe,  as  well  as  many  other  points, 
(hould  lie  out  of  the  road  that  we  are  acquainted  with  \ 
muft  we,  therefore,  explode  them,  and  make  it  a  rule  to 
condemn  every  proceeding  as  fenfelefs,  that  doth  not 
fquarc  with  the  vulgar  fenfe  of  man  ?  That,  indeed, 
which  evidently  contradicts  fenfe  and  reafon,  you  have  a 
right  to  difbelieve.  And  when  you  are  unjuft ly  treated, 
you  have  the  fame  right  to  complain.  But  I  think  you 
(hould  diftingui(h  between  matter  of  debt  and  matter  of 
favor.  Thus  much  is  obferved  in  all  intercourfe  between, 
man  and  man ;  wherein  a6fcs  of  mere  benevolence  are 
never  infifted  on,  or  examined  and  meafured  with  the 
fame  accurate  line  as  matters  of  juftice.  Who  but  a  Mi- 
nute Philofopher  would,  upon  a  gratuitous  diftribution 
of  favors,  inquire,  why  at  this  time,  and  not  before  ? 
why  to  thefe  perfons,  and  not  to  others }  Various  are  the 


288  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

natural  abilities  and  opportunities  of  human  kind.  How 
wide  a  difference  is  there  in  refpe6t  of  the  law  of  nature, 
between  one  of  our  ftupid  ploughmen  and  a  Minute  Phi- 
lofopher  !  Between  a  Laplander  and  an  Athenian  !  That 
condutt,  therefore,  which  feems  to  you  partial  or  une- 
qual, may  be  found  as  well  in  the  difpenfation  of  natural 
religion  as  of  revealed,  and  if  fo,  why  it  fhould  be 
made  an  objection  againft  the  one  more  than  the  other, 
I  leave  you  to  account.  For  the  reft,  if  the  precepts  and 
certain  primary  tenets  of  religion  appear,  in  the  eye  of 
reafon,  good  and^.  ufeful  ;  and  if  they  are  alfo  found  to 
be  fo  by  their  effects,  we  may,  for  the  fake  of  them,  admit 
certain  other  points,  or  do£i:rines,  recommended  with  them, 
to  have  a  good  tendency,  to  be  right  and  true  ;  although 
we  cannot  difcern  their  goodnefs  or  truth  by  the  mere  light 
of  human  reafon,  which  may  well  be  fuppofed  an  infuf- 
ficient  judge  of  the  proceedings,  counfels  and  defigns,  of 
Providence,  and  this  fufficeth  to  make  our  convidion  rea- 
fonable. 

* 
XVI.  It  is  an  allowed  point,  that  no  man  can  judge  of 
this  or  that  part  of  a  machine  taken  by  itfelf,  without 
knowing  the  whole,  the  mutual  relation  or  dependence 
of  its  parts,  and  the  end  for  which  it  was  made.  And, 
as  this  is  a  point  acknowledged  in  corporeal  and  natural 
things,  ought  we  not,  by  a  parity  of  reafon,  to  fufpend 
our  judgment  concerning  the  moral  fitnefs  of  a  fingle  un- 
accountable part  of  the  divine  economy,  till  we  are  more 
fully  acquainted  with  the  moral  fyftem,  or  world  of  fpi- 
rits,  and  are  let  into  the  defigns  of  God's  providence,  and 
have  an  extenfive  view  of  his  difpenfations  paft,  prefent, 
and  future  ?  Alas  !  Lyftclesy  what  do  you  know  even  of 
yourfelf,  whence  you  come,  what  you  are,  or  whither 
you  are  going  ?  To  me  it  feems,  that  a  Minute  Philofo- 
pher  is  like  a  conceited  fpeftator,  v/ho  never  looked  be- 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         289 

hind  the  fcenes,  and  yet  would  judge  of  the  machinery  ; 
who  from  a  tranfient  glimpfe  of  a  part  only  of  fome  one 
fcene,  would  take  upon  him  to  cenfure  the  plot  of  a  play. 

Lys. — As  to  the  plot  I  won't  fay  ;  but  in  half  a  fcene 
a  man  may  judge  of  an  abfurd  a£tor.  With  what  color 
or  pretext  can  you  juftify  the  vindictive,  froward,  whim- 
fical  behavior  of  fome  infpired  teachers  or  prophets  ?  Par- 
ticulars, that  ferve  neither  for  profit  nor  pleafure,  I  make  a 
(hift  to  forget  :  but,  in  general,  the  truth  of  this  charge  I 
do  very  well  remember. 

Cri. — You  need  be  at  no  pains  to  prove  a  point,  I  ihall 
neither  juftify  nor  deny.  I  would  only  beg  leave  to  ob- 
ferve,  that  it  feems  a  fure  fign  of  fincerity  in  the  facred 
writers,  that  they  fhould  be  fo  far  from  palliating  the  de- 
fe£ls,  as  to  publifh  even  the  criminal  and  abfurd  acSlions 
of  thofe  very  perfons,  whom  they  relate  to  have  been  in- 
fpired. For  the  reft,  that  there  have  been  human  paf- 
fions,  infirmities,  and  defe<9:s  in  perfons  infpired  by  God, 
I  freely  own  :  nay,  that  very  wicked  men  have  been  in- 
fpired, as  Balaam^  for  inftance,  and  Caiaphasy  cannot  be 
denied.  But  what  will  you  infer  from  thence  ?  Can  you 
prove  it  impofilble  that-  a  weak  or  finful  man  fhould  be- 
come an  inftrument  to  the  fpirit  of  God,  for  conveying 
his  purpofe  to  other  finners,  or  that  divine  light  may  not, 
as  well  as  the  light  of  the  fun,  fhine  on  a  foul  velTel  with- 
out polluting  its  rays  ? 

Lys. — To  make  fhort  work,  the  right  way  would  be 
to  put  out  our  eyes,  and  not  judge  at  all. 

Cri. — I  do  not  fay  fo,  but  I  think  it  would  be  right,  if 
fome  fanguine  perfons,  upon  certain  points,  fufpe6ted  their 
own  judgment. 

Alc. — But  the  very  things  faid  to  be  infpired,  taken  by 
themfelves,  and  in  their  own  natyre,  are  fometimes  fo 
wrong,  to  fay  no  worfe,  that  a  man  may  pronounce  them 
not  to  be  divine  at  firft  fight  ;  without   troubling  his  head 

N  n 


29®         MIN-JTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

about  the  fyftetn  of  Providence  or  connexion  of  events  : 
As  one  may  fay  that  grafs  is  green,  without  knowing  or 
confidering  how  it  grows,  what  ufes  it  is  fubfervient  to,  or 
how  it  is  connefted  with  the  mundane  fyftem.  Thus,  for 
inftance,  the  fpoiling  of  the  Egyptians^  and  the  extirpa- 
tion of  the  Canaanites^  every  one,  at  firft  glance,  fees  to  be 
cruel  and  unjuft,  and  may,  therefore,  without  deliberating, 
pronounce  them  unworthy  of  God. 

Cri. — But,  Alciphron^X.0  judge  rightly  of  thefe  things, 
mav  it  not  be  proper  to  confider,  how  long  the  IfraeUtes 
had  v/rought  under  thofe  fevere  tafk-mafters  of  Egypty 
what  injuries  and  hardfliips  they  had  fuftained  from  them, 
what  crimes  and  abominations  the  Canaanites  had  been 
guilty  of  what  right  God  hath  to  difpofe  of  the  things  of 
this  world,  to  punifti  delinquents,  and  to  appoint  both 
the  manner  and  the  indruments  of  his  juitice  ?  Man, 
who  has  not  fuch  a  right  over  his  fellow-creatures,  who  is 
himfelf  a  fellow-fmner  with  them,  who  is  Uable  to  error 
as  well  as  paffion,  whofe  views  are  imperfect:,  who  is  gov- 
erned more  by  prejudice  than  the  truth  of  things,  may  not 
improbably  deceive  himfelf,  when  he  fets  up  for  a  judge 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  holy, ,  omnifcient,  im.paflivs 
Creator  and  Governor  of  all  things. 

XVII.  Alc. — Believe  me,  Crito,  men  are  never  fo  in- 
duftrious  to  deceive  themfclves,  as  when  they  engage  to 
defend  their  prejudices.  You  would  fain  reafou  us  out  of 
all  ufe  of  our  reafon  ;  can  any  thing  be  more  irrational  ^ 
To  forbid  us  to  reafon  on  the  divine  difpenfations,  is  to  fup- 
pofe  they  will  not  bear  the  teft  of  reafon  *,  or,  in  other 
words,  that  God  a6ls  without  reafon,  which  ought  not  to 
be  admitted,  no,  not  in  any  fingle  inftance  :  For  if  in 
one,  why  not  in  another  r  Whoever,  therefore,  allows  a 
God,  muft  allow  that  he  always  ads  reafonably.  I  will 
not,  therefore,  attribute  to  him  anions  and  proceedings  that 


[Dial.  VL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  291 

are  unreafonable.  He  hath  given  me  reafon  to  judge  with- 
al :  and  I  will  judge  by  that  unerring  light,  lighted  frpm 
the  univerfal  lamp  of  nature. 

Cri.— O  Alciphron  !  as  I  frankly  own  the  common  re- 
mark to  be  true,  that  when  a  man  is  againll  reafon,  it  is 
a  fhrewd  fign,  reafon  is  againft  him  *,  fo  I  (hculd  never  go 
about  to  difluade  any  one,  much  lefs  one,  who  fo  well 
knew  the  value  of  it,  from  ufmg  that  noble  talent.  On 
the  contrary,  upon  all  fubje^ls  of  moment,  in  my  opin- 
ion, a  man  ought  to  ufe  his  reafon  ;  but  then,  whether 
it  may  not  be  reafonable  to  ufe  it  with  feme  deference  to 
fuperior  reafon,  it  will  not,  perhaps,  be  amifs  to  confid- 
er.  He,  who  hath  an  exa^t  view  of  the  meafure,  and  of 
the  thing  to  be  meafured,  if  he  applies  the  one  to  the  other, 
may,  I  grant,  meafure  exa6tly.  But  he,  who  undertakes 
to  meafure  without  knowing  either,  can  be  no  more  ex- 
a£t  than  he  is  modeft.  It  may  not,  neverthelefs,  be  im- 
pofTible  to  find  a  man,  who,  having  neither  an  abftrafl: 
idea  of  moral  fitnefs,  nor  an  adequate  idea  of  the  divine 
economy,  fhall  yet  pretend  to  m.eafure  the  one  by  the 
other. 

Alc. — It  mull  furely  derogate  from  the  wifdom  of 
God,  to  fuppofe  his  conduft  cannot  bear  being  infpedled, 
not  even  by  the  twilight  of  human  reafon. 

EuPH. — You  allow,  then,  God  to  be  wife  ? 

Alc. — I  do. 

EuPH. — What !   infinitely  wife  ? 

Alc. — Even  infinitely. 

EuPH. — His  Wifdom,  then,  far  exceeds  that  of  man. 

Alc — Very  far. 

EuPH. — ^Probably  more  than  the  wifdom  of  man,  that 
of  a  child. 

Alc. — Without  all  quefllon. 

Eupn. — What  think  you,  Alciphron,  mufl  not  the  con- 
du£l  of  a  parent  feem  very  unaccountable  to  a  child,  when 


292  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

Its  inclinations  are  thwarted,  when  it  is  put  to  learn  the 
letters,  when  it  is  obliged  to  fwallow  bitter  phyfic,  to 
part  with  what  it  likes,  and  to  fufFer,  and  do,  and  fee 
many  things  done  contrary  to  its  own  judgment,  however 
reafonable  or  agreeable  to  that  of  others  ? 

Alc. — This  I  grant. 

EuPH. — Will  it  not,  therefore,  follow  from  hence,  by  a 
parity  of  reafon,  that  the  little  child,  man,  when  it  takes 
upon  it  to  judge  of  the  fchemes  of  parental  Providence  ; 
and  a  thing  of  yefterday,  to  criticife  the  economy  of  tl\e 
Ancient  of  Days ;  will  it  not  follow,  I  fay,  that  fuch  a 
judge,  of  fuch  matters,  mud  be  apt  to  make  very  errone- 
ous judgments  .''  efteeming  thofe  things  in  themfelves  un- 
accountable, which  he  cannot  account  for,  and  conclud- 
ing of  fome  certain  points,  from  an  appearance  of  arbi- 
trary carriage  towards  him,  which  is  fuited  to  his  infancy 
and  ignorance,  that  they  are  in  themfelves  capricious  or 
abfurd,  and  cannot  proceed  from  a  wife,  juft,  and  be- 
nevolent God.  This  fmgle.  confideration,  if  duly  attend- 
ed to,  and  applied,  would,  I  verily  think,  put  an  end  to 
many  conceited  reafonings  againft  revealed  religion. 

Alc. — You  v/ould  have  us  then  conclude,  that  things, 
to  our  wifdom  unaccountable,  may  neverthelefs  proceed 
from  an  abyfs  of  wifdom,  which  our  line  cannot  fathom : 
And  that  profpe£l:s  viewed  but  in  part,  and  by  the  broken 
tinged  light  of  our  intelle^ls,  though  to  us  they  may 
feem  difproportionate  and  monftrous,  may,  neverthelefs,  ap- 
pear quite  otherwife  to  another  eye,  and  in  a  different  fit- 
uation  :  In  a  word,  that  as  human  wifdom  is  but  childilh 
folly,  in  refpeci:  of  the  divine,  fo  the  wifdom  of  God 
may  fometimes  feem  fooliflmefs  to  m.an. 

XVIII.  EuFH. — I  would  not  have  you  make  thefe  con- 
clufions,  unlefs  in  reafon,  you  ought  to  niake  them  : 
But  if  they  are   reafonable,  why  fhculd  you  not  make 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  293 

Alc.-— Some  things  may  feem  reafonable  at  one  time, 
and  not  at  another :  And  I  take  this  very  apology  you 
make,  for  credulity  and  fuperllition,  to  be  one  of  thofe 
things.  When  I  view  it  in  its  principles,  it  feems 
naturally«to  follow  from  juft  concelTions  :  But  when  I  con- 
fider  its  confequences,  I  cannot  agree  to  it.  A  man  had 
as  good  abdicate  his  nature,  as  difclaim  the  ufe  of  reafon. 
A  do6i:rine  is  unaccountable,   tlierefore  it  muft  be  divine  I 

EuPH.— Credulity  and  fuperftition  are  qualities  fo  dif- 
agreeable  and  degrading  to  human  nature,  fo  furely  an  ef- 
fect of  weaknefs,  and  fo  frequently  a  caufe  of  wickednefs, 
that  I  fhould  be  very  much  furprifed  to  find  a  juft  courfe 
of  reafoning  lead  to  them.  I  can  never  think,  that  reafon 
is  a  blind  guide  to  folly,  or  that  there  is  any  connexion 
between  truth  and  falfliood,  no  more  than  I  can  think  a 
thing's  being  unaccountable  a  proof  that  it  is  divine  : 
Though  at  the  fame  time,  I  cannot  help  acknowledging,  it 
follows  from  your  own  avowed  principles,  that  a  thing's 
being  unaccountable,  or  incomprehenfible  to  our  reafon,  is 
no  fure  argument  to  conclude  it  is  not  divine ;  efpecially 
when  there  are  collateral  proofs  of  its  being  fo.  A  child 
is  influenced  by  the  many  fenfible  effe6bs  it  hath  felt,  of 
paternal  love,  and  care,  and  fuperior  wifdom,  to  believe 
and  do  feveral  things  with  an  implicit  faith  and  obedience  : 
And  if  we,  in  the  fame  manner,  from  the  truth  and  rea- 
fonablenefs  which  we  plainly  fee  in  fo  many  points  within 
our  cognifance,  and  the  advantages  which  we  experi- 
ence from  the  feed  of  the  gofpel  fown  in  good  ground, 
were  difpofed  to  an  implicit  belief  of  certain  other  points, 
relating  to  fchemes  we  do  not  know,  or  fubjefis  to  which 
our  talents  are  perhaps  difproportionate,  I  am  tempted  to 
think  it  might  become  our  duty,  without  difhonoring  our 
reafon  j  which  is  never  fo  much  difnonored,  as  when  it  is 
foiled,  and  never  in  more  danger  of  being  foiled,  than 
by  judging  where  it  hath  neither  means  nor  right  to 
judge. 


294         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

Lys. — I  would  give  a  good  deal  to  fee  that  ingenious 
game  Iter,  Glaucus^  have  the  handling  of  Euphranor  one 
night  at  our  club.  I  own  he  is  a  peg  too  high  for  me  in 
fome  of  his  notions :  But  then  he  is  admirable  at  vindica- 
ting human  reafon  againfl  the  impofitions  of  pricftcraft. 

XIX.  Alc— He  would  undertake  to  make  it  as  clear  as 
day  light,  that  there  was  nothing  worth  a  ft  raw  in  chrif- 
tianlty,  but  what  every  one  knew,  or  might  know,  as 
well  without  as  with  it,  before  as  fince  Jefus  Chrifl. 

Cri. — That  great  man,  it  feems,  teacheth,  that  com- 
mon fenfe  alone  is  the  pole-ftar,  by  which  mankind  ought 
to  fteer  ;  and  that  what  is  called  revelation  muft  be  ridic- 
ulous, becaufe  it  is  unneceflary  and  ufelefs,  the  natural 
talents  of  every  man  being  fufEcient,  to  make  him  happy, 
good,  and  wife,  without  any  further  correfpondence  with 
heaven  either  for  light  or  aid. 

EuPH.— I  have  already  acknowledged  how  fenfible  I 
am,  that  my  fituation  in  this  obfcure  corner  of  the  country 
deprives  me  of  many  advantages,  to  be  had  from  the 
converfation  of  ingenious  men  in  town.  To  make  my- 
feif  fome  amends,  I  am  obliged  to  converfe  with  the  dead, 
and  my  own  thoughts,  which  laft  I  know  are  of  little 
weight  againft  the  authority  of  Glaucusy  or  fuch  like  great 
men  in  the  Minute  Philofophy.  But  what  fliall  we  fay  to 
Socrates,  for  he  too  was  of  an  opinion  very  different  from 
that  afcribed  to  Glaucus  ? 

Alc. — For  the  prefent,  we  need  not  infift  on  authorities, 
ancient  or  modern,  or  inquire  which  was  the  greater  man 
Socrates  or  Glaucus,  Though,  methinks,  for  fo  much  as 
authority  can  fignify,  the  prefent  times,  gray  and  hoary 
with  age  and  experience,  have  a  manifeft  advantage  over 
thofe  that  are  falfly  called  ancient.  But  not  to  dwell  on  au- 
thorities, I  tell  you  in  plain  Engli/Ij,  Euphranor,  we  do 
not  want  your  revelations  :  And  that  for  this  plain  reafon, 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  29^ 

thofe,  that  are  clear,  every  body  knew  before,  and  thofe, 
that  are  obfcure,  no  body  is  the  better  for. 

EuPK.— As  it  is  impollible,  that  a  man  fliould  believe 
the  practical  principles  of  the  chriftian  religion,  and  not 
be  the  better  for  them  :  So  it  is  evident,  that  thofe  princi- 
ples may  be  much  more  eafily  taught  as  points  of  faith> 
than  demonftrated  or  difcovcred  as  points  of  fcience. 
This  I  call  evident,  becaufe  it  is  plain  fa6l.  Since  vfc 
daily  fee,  that  many  are  inltruded  in  matters  of  faith  j 
that  few  are  taught  by  fcientific  demonftration  ;  and  that 
there  arc  ftill  fewer,  who  can  difcover  truth  for  themfelves. 
Did  Minute  Philofophers  but  refle^l,  how  rarely  men  are 
fwayed  or  governed  by  mere  ratiocination,  and  how  often 
by  faith,  in  the  natural,  or  civil  concerns  of  the  world ! 
How  little  they  know,  and  how  much  they  believe  !  How 
uncommon  it  is  to  meet  with  a  man  who  argues  juftly, 
who  is  in  truth  a  mafter  of  reafon,  or  walks  by  that  rule  I 
How  much  better  (as  the  world  goes)  men  are  qualified  to 
judge  of  faclg  than  of  reafonings,  to  receive  truth  upon 
teRimony  than  to  deduce  it  from  principles  !  How  general 
a  fpirit  of  truft  or  reliance  runs  through  the  whole  fyftem 
of  life  and  opinion  !  And,  at  the  fame  time,  how  feldom 
the  dry  light  of  unprejudiced  nature  is  followed  or  to  be 
found  !  I  fay,  did  our  thinking  men  but  bethink  themfelves 
of  thefe  things,  they  would  perhaps  find  it  difficult  to  af- 
fign  a  good  reafon,  why  faith,  which  hath  fo  great  a 
(hare  in  every  thing  elfe,  fhould  yet  have  none  in  religion. 
But  to  come  more  clofely  to  your  point,  whether  it  was 
pofiible  for  mankind  to  have  known  all  parts  of  the  chrif- 
tian religion,  befides  myfteries  and  ppfitive  inftitutions,  is 
not  the  queftion  between  us ;  and  that  they  actually  did 
not  know  them,  is  too  plain  to  be  denied.  This,  perhaps, 
was  for  want  of  making  a  due  ufe  of  reafon.  But,  as 
to  the  ufefulnefs  of  revelation,  it  feems  much  the  fame 
thing  whether  men  could  not  knov/,  or  would  not  be  at 


7.^6         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

the  pains  to  know  the  doctrines  revealed.  And  as  for 
thofe  do£trines,  which  were  too  obfcure  to  penetrate,  or 
too  fublime  to  reach,  by  natural  reafon  •,  how  far  mankind 
may  be  the  better  for  them  is  more,  I  had  almoft  faid, 
than  even  you  or  Glaucus  can  tell. 

XX.  Alc. — But  whatever  may  be  pretended  as  to  ob- 
fcure do£lrines  and  difpenfations,  all  this  hath  nothing  to 
do  with  prophecies  •,  which,  being  altogether  relative  to 
mankind,  and  the  events  of  this  world,  to  which  our  far 
culties  are  fureiy  well  enough  proportioned,  one  might  ex- 
pe£l  {hould  be  very  clear,  and  fuch  as  might  inform  in- 
ftead  of  puzzling  us. 

EuPH. — And  yet  it  muft  be  allowed,  that  as  fome  prophe- 
cies are  clear,  there  are  others  very  obfcure  :  but,  left  to 
myfelf,  I  doubt  I  fhould  never  have  inferred  from  thence 
that  they  were  not  divine.  In  my  own  way  of  thinking, 
I  fhould  have  been  apt  to  conclude,  that  the  prophecies,  we 
underftand,  are  a  proof  for  infpiration  :  But  that  thofe  we 
do  not  underftand  are  no  proof  againft  it.  Inafmuch  as 
for  the  latter  our  ignorance,  or  the  referve  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  account :  but  for  the  other,  nothing,  for  ought  that 
I  fee,  can  account  but  infpiration. 

Alc. — Now  I  know  feveral  fagacious  men,  who  con- 
clude very  differently  from  you,  to  wit,  that  the  one  fort 
of  prophecies  a^re  nonfenfe,  and  the  other  contrived  after 
the  events.  Behold  the  difference  between  a  man  of  free 
thought  and  one  of  narrow  principles  ! 

EuPH. — It  feems  then,  they  rejedl  the  revelations  be- 
caufe  they  are  obfcure,  and  DanleFs  prophecies  becaufe 
they  are  clear. 

Alc. — Either  way,  a  man  of  fenfe  fees  caufe  to  fufpe^ 
there  has  been  foul  play. 

EuPH. — Your  men  of  fenfe  are,  it  fcems,  hard  to 
pleafe. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  29-^ 

Alc. — Our  Philofophers  are  men  of  piercing  eyes. 
EuPH. — I  fuppofe  fuch  men  never  make  trancient  judg- 
ments from  trancient  views,  but  always  eftablifti  fixed 
conclufions  upon  a  thorough  infpedlion  of  things.  For 
my  own  part,  I  dare  not  engage  with  a  man,  who  has 
examined  thofe  points  fo  nicely,  as  it  may  be  prefumed, 
you  have  done  :  But  I  could  name  fome  eminent  writers 
of  our  own,  now  living,  whofe  books  on  the  fubje£t  of 
prophecy  have  given  great  fatisfa6tion  to  gentlemen, 
who  pafs  for  men  of  fenfe  and  learning,  here  in  the 
country. 

Alc. — You  muft  know,  Euphranor^  I  am  not  at  lei- 
fure  to  perufe  the  learned  writings  of  divines,  on  a  fub- 
je£i:  which  a  man  may  fee  through  with  half  an  eye.  To 
me  it  is  fufhcient,  that  the  point  itfelf  is  odd  and  out  of 
the  road  of  nature.  For  the  reft,  I  leave  them  to  difpute 
and  fettle  among  themfelves,  where  to  fix  the  precife  time 
when  the  fcepter  departed  from  Judah  :  Or  whether  in 
Daniel^s  prophecy  of  the  Mejfiah  we  fliould  compute  by 
the  Chaldean  or  the  jtdian  year.  My  only  conclufion 
concerning  all  fuch  matters  is,  that  I  will  never  trouble 
myfelf  about  them. 

EuPH. — To  an  extraordinary  genius,  v/ho  fees  things 
with  half  an  eye,  I  knov/  not  what  to  fay  :  But  for  the 
reft  of  mankind,  one  would  think  it  (hould  be  verv  rafh 
in  them  to  conclude,  without  much  and  exa^l  inquiry,  on 
the  unfafe  fide  of  a  queftion  v/hich  concerns  their  chief 
intereft. 

Alc. — Mark  it  v/ell :  A  true  genius  in  purfuit  of  truth, 
makes  fwift  advances  on  the  wings  of  general  maxims, 
while  little  minds  creep  and  grovel  amidft  mean  particu- 
larities. I  lay  it  down  for  a  certain  truth,  that  by  the 
fallacious  arts  of  logic  and  criticifm,  ftraining  and  for- 
cing, palliating,  patching  and  diftinguifhing,  a  man  may 
iuftify  or   make  out  any  thing  :   And   this  remark,  with 

O  o 


19S  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

one  or  two  about  prejudice,  faves  me  a  world  of  trouble. 
EuPH. — You,  Alciphron,  who  foar  fublime  on  ftrong 
and  free  pinions,  vouchfafe  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to 
thofe,  whom  you  behold  intangled  in  the  birdlime  of  pre- 
judice. For  my  part,  I  find  it  very  poffible  to  fuppofe 
prophecy  may  be  divine,  although  there  ihould  be  fome 
obfcurity  at  this  diftance,  with  refpe£l  to  dates  of  time, 
or  kinds  of  years.  Youyourfelf  own  revelation  poffible : 
And  allowing  this,  I  can  very  eafily  conceive  it  may  be 
odd,  and  out  of  the  road  of  nature.  I  can,  without 
amazement,  meet  in  holy  fcriptures  divers  prophecies, 
whereof  I  do  not  fee  the  completion,  divers  texts  I  do 
not  underiland,  divers  myfleries  above  my  comprehen- 
fion,  and  ways  of  God  to  me  unaccountable.  Why  may 
not  fome  prophecies  relate  to  parts  of  hiftory  I  am  not 
well  enough  acquainted  with,  or  to  events  not  yet  come 
to  pafs  .''  It  feems  to  me,  that  prophecies  unfathomed  by 
the  hearer,  or  even  the  fpeaker  himfelf,  have  been  after- 
ward verified  and  underftood  in  the  event :  and  it  is  one 
of  my  maxims,  that,  ivhat  hath  heeiiy  may  he.  Though 
I  rub  mine  eyes,  and  do  mine  utmoft  to  extricate  myfelf 
from  pi-ejudice,  yet  it  ftill  feems  very  poffible  to  me,  that, 
what  I  do  not,  a  more  acute,  more  attentive,  or  more 
learned  man  may  underftand  :  At  leaft  thus  much  is 
plain  :  the  difficulty  of  fome  points  or  paflages  doth  not 
hinder  the  clearnels  of  others  :  And  thofe  parts  of  fcrip- 
ture  which  we  cannot  interpret,  we  are  not  bound  to  know 
the  fenfe  of.  What  evil  or  what  inconvenience,  if  we 
cannot  comprehend  what  we  are  not  obliged  to  compre- 
hend, or  if  we  cannot  account  for  thofe  things,  which  it 
doth  not  belong  to  us  to  account  for }  Scriptures  not  un- 
derftood, at  one  time,  or  by  one  perfen,  may  be  under- 
ftood at  a  nother  time,  or  by  other  perfons.  May  we  not 
perceive,  by  retro fpe£t  on  what  Is  paft,  a  certain  progrefs 
from  darker  to  lighter,  in  the  feries  of  the  divine  econo- 
my towards  man  ?  And  may  not  future  events  clear  up 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  2:99 

fuch  points,  as  at  prefent  exercife  the  faith  of  believers  ? 
Now,  I  cannot  help  thinking  (fuch  is  the  force  either  of 
truth  or  prejudice)  that  in  all  this,  there  is  nothing  drain- 
ed or  forced,  or  which  is  not  reafonable  and  natural  to 
fuppofe. 

XXI.  Alc. — Well  Euphranor,  I  will  lend  you  a  help- 
ing hand,  fince  you  defire  it,  but  think  fit  to  alter  my 
method  :  For  you  mufl  know,  the  main  points  of  chrif- 
tian  belief  have  been  infufed  fo  early,  and  inculcated  fo 
often,  by  nurfes,  pedagogues,  and  priefts  :  That,  be 
the  proofs  ever  fo  plain,  it  is  a  hard  matter  to  convince  a 
mind  thus  tinctured  and  ftained,  by  arguing  againft  re- 
vealed religion  from  its  Internal  characters.  I  Ihall  there- 
fore fet  myfelf  to  condder  things  in  another  light,  and  ex- 
amine your  religion  by  certain  external  characters,  or  cir- 
cumftantials,  comparing  the  fyftem  of  revelation  with 
collateral  accounts  of  ancient  heathen  writers,  and  (hew- 
ing hov/  ill  it  confifts  with  them.  Know  then,  that  the 
chriftian  revelation  fuppofing  the  Jewijh^  it  follows  that  if 
the  Jenvijh  be  deftroyed,  the  chriftian  muft  of  courfe  fall 
to  the  ground.  Now,  to  make  (hort  work,  I  (hall  at- 
tack this  Jewi/Ij  revelation  in  its  head.  Tell  me,  are  we 
not  obliged,  if  we  believe  the  Mofaic  account  of  things, 
to  hold  the  world  was  created  not  quite  fix  thoufand  years 
sgo  ? 

EuPH. — I  grant  we  are. 

Alc— What  will  you  fay  now,  if  other  ancient  re- 
cords carry  up  the  hiftory  of  the  world  many  thoufand 
years  beyond  this  period  ?  What  if  the  Egyptians  and 
Chlnefe  have  accounts  extending  to  thirty  or  forty  thoufand 
years  ?  What  if  the  former  of  thefe  nations  have  obferv- 
cd  tv.'clve  hundred  eclipfes,  during  the  fpace  of  forty-eight 
thoufand  years,  before  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great  ? 
What  if  the  Chinsfe  have  alfo  many  obfervations  antece- 


3O0  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VL] 

dent  to  the  Je'wJjIj  account  of  the  creation  ?  What  if  the 
Chaldeans  had  been  obferving  the  ftars  for  above  four  hun- 
dred thoufand  years  ?  And  what  fhali  we  fay,  if  we  have 
fucceflions  of  kings  and  their  reigns,  marked  for  fcveral 
thoufand  years  before  the  beginning  of  the  world,  affign- 
cd  by  Mofes  P  Shall  we  reject  the  accounts  and  records  of 
all  other  nations,  the  mod  famous,  ancient,  and  learned 
in  the  v/orld,  and  preferve  a  blind  reverence  for  the  legif- 
lator  of  the  Jews  P 

EuPH. — And  pray,  if  they  deferve  to  be  rejected,  why 
fhould  we  not  rejecl  them  ?  What  if  thofe  monftrous 
chronologies  contain  nothing  but  names  without  actions 
and  manifeft  fables  ?  What  if  thofe  pretended  obfervations 
of  Egyptians  and  Chaldeans,  were  unknown  or  unregarded 
by  ancient  aftronomers  ?  What  if  the  Jefuits  have  fhewn 
the  inconfiftcncy  of  the  like  Chhiefe  pretenfions  with  the 
truth  of  Ephemerides  ?  What  if  the  moft  ancient  Chinefe 
obfervations  allowed  to  be  autlientic,  are  thofe  of  two 
fixed  flars,  one  in  the  winter  folftice,  the  other  in  the  ver- 
nal equinox,  in  the  reign  of  their  king  Taoy  which  was 
fmce  the  flood  .?  * 

Alc- — You  muft  give  me  leave  to  obferve  the  Ramp 
milBonaries  are  of  fmall  credit  in  this  point. 

EuPK. — But  what  knowledge  have  we,  or  can  we  have, 
of  thofe  Chinefe  affairs,  but  by  their  means  ?  The  fame 
perfons  that  tell  us  of  thefe  accounts  refute  them  :  If  we 
reject  their  authority  in  one  cafe,  what  right  have  we  to 
build  upon  it  in  another  ? 

Alc. — When  I  conilder,  that  the  Chinefe  have  annals  of 
more  than  forty  thoufand  years,  and  that  they  are  a  learn- 
ed, ingenious,  and  acute  people,  very  curious  and  addifted 
to  arts  and  fciences,  I  profefs  I  cannot  help  paying  fome 
regard  to  their  accounts  of  time. 

*  3ianchini  Hiflor.  Unlverf.  c.  17. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  3or 

EupH, — Whatever  advantage  their  fituation  and  polit- 
ical maxims  may  have  given  them,  it  doth  not  appear,  they 
are  fo  learned  or  fo  acute  in  point  of  fcience  as  the  Euro- 
peans.     The  general  character  of  the  Chinefey  if  we  may 
believe  Trigaltius  and  other  writers,  is  that  they  arc  men 
of  .a  trifling  and  credulous  curionty,  addicted  to  fearch 
after  the  philofopher's  (lone,  and  a  medicine  to  make  men 
immortal,  to   aftrology,  fortune-telling,  and  prefages  of 
all  kinds.     Their  ignorance  in  nature  and  mathematics  is 
evident,  from  the   great  hand   the    Jefuits  make  of  that 
kind  of  knowledge  among  them.      But  what  fliall  we  think 
of   thofe  extraordinary  annals,  if  the  very  Chinefe  them- 
felves  give  no  credit  to  them  for  more  than  three  thoufand 
years  before  Jefus  Chrifi  P  If  they  do  not  pretend  to  have 
begun  to  write  hiftory  above   four  trioufand  years  ago  ? 
And  if  theoldeft  books.they  have  now  extant  in  an  intelli- 
gible character,  are  not  above   tvv^o  thoufand  years  old  ? 
One  would  think  a  man  of  your  fagacity,  fo   apt  to  fuf- 
pe£t   every  thing   out  of   the   common  road  of  nature, 
fhould  not,  v/ithout  the  cleared  proof,  admit  thofe  annals 
for  authentic,  v/hich  record  fuch  ftrange  things   as  the 
fun's  not  fetting  for  ten  days,  and  gold  raining  three  days 
together.      Tell   me,    Alciphrcn,    can   you  really   believe 
thefe  things,  without  inquiring  by  what  means  the  tradi- 
tion was  preferved,  through  what  hands  it  palTed,   or  what 
reception  it  met  with,  or  who  firfl  committed  it  to  wri- 
ting ? 

Alc. — To  omit  the  Chinefe  and  their  ftory,  it  will  ferve 
my  purpofe  as  well  to  build  on  the  authority  of  Manetho 
that  learned  Egyptian  prieft,  who  had  fuch  opportunities 
of  fearching  into  the  mofl  ancient  accounts  of  time,  and 
copying  into  his  dynafties  the  moil  venerable  and  authentic 
records  infcribed  on  the  pillars  of  Hermes. 

EuPH. — Pray,  Alciphrouy  where  were  thofe  chronolo- 
gical pillars  to  be  fcen  ? 


302  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

I 

Alc. — In  the  Seriadical  land. 

EupH. — And  where  is  that  country  ? 

Alc. — I  do  not  know. 

EupH. — How  were  thofe  records  preferved  for  fo  many 
ages  down  to  the  time  of  this  Hermes,  who  is  faid  to  have 
been  the  firft  inventor  of  letters  ? 

Alc— I  do  not  know. 

EupH. — Did  any  other  writers,  before  or  fince  Mane^ 
thoy  pretend  to  have  feen,  or  tranfcribed,  or  known  any 
thing  about  thefe  pillars  ? 

Alc. — Not  that  I  know. 

EuPH. — Or  about  the  place  where  they  are  faid  to  have 
been  ? 

Alc. — If  they  did,  it  is  more  than  I  know. 

EtrpH.— Do  the  Greek  authors  that  went  Into  Egypt, 
and  confulted  the  Egyptian  priefts,  agree  with  thefe  ac- 
counts of  Manetho  P 

Alc— -Suppofe  they  do  not. 

EuPK. — Doth  Diodorus,  who  lived  fmce  Manetho,  fol- 
low, cite,  or  fo  much  as  mention  this  fame  Manetho  P 

Alc — What  will  you  infer  from  all  this  ? 

EuPH. — If  I  did  not  know  you  and  your  principles,  and 
hov/  vigilantly  you  guard  againft  impofture,  I  fhould  infer 
that  you  were  a  very  credulous  man.  For  what  can  we 
Call  it  but  credulity  to  believe  moft  incredible  things  on 
moft  llender  authority,  fuch  as  fragments  of  an  obfcure 
writer,  difagreeing  with  all  other  hiftorians,  fupported 
by  an  obfcure  authority  of  Hertnes^s-  pillars,  for  which 
you  mud  take  his  word,  and  which  contain  things  fo  Im- 
probable as  fucceffions  of  gods  and  demi-gods,  for  ma- 
ny thoufand  years*  Vulcan  alone  having  reigned  nine  thou- 
fand  ?  There  is  little  in  thefe  venerable  dynafties  of  Mim- 
etho,  befides  names  and  numbers :  And  yet  in  that  little 
we  meet  with  very  ftrange  things,  that  would  be  thought 
romantic  in  another  writer  :  For  inftance,  the  Nile  over- 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         303 

flowing  with  honey,  the  moon  grown  bigger,  a  fpeaking 
lamb,  feventy  kings  who  reigned  as  many  days,  one  after 
another,  a  king  a  day.  *  If  you  are  known,  Akiphron^ 
to  give  credit  to  thefe  things,  I  fear  you  will  lofe  the  hon- 
our of  being  thought  incredulous. 

Alc— And  yet  thefe  ridiculous  fragments,  as  you 
would  reprefent  them,  have  been  thought  worth  the  pains 
and  lucubrations  of  very  learned  men.  How  can  you  ac- 
count for  the  work  that  the  great  Jofeph  Scaiiger  and  Sir 
Jchn  Marjham  make  about  them  ? 

EuPH. — I  do  not  pretend  to  account  for  it.  To  fee 
Scaliger  add  another  Julian  period  to  make  room  for  fuch 
things  as  Manetho's  dynafties,  and  Sir  Johfi  Marfiam  take 
fo  much  learned  pains  to  piece,  patch,  and  mend  thofe 
obfcure  fragments,  to  range  them  in  fynchronifms,  and 
try  to  adjull  them  with  facred  chronology,  or  make  them 
confiftent  with  themfelves  and  other  accounts,  is  to  me 
very  ftrange  and  unaccountable.  Why  they,  or  EufebiuSy 
or  yourfelf,  or  any  other  learned  man  fhould  imagine  thofe 
things  deferve  any  regard,  I  leave  you  to  explain. 

XXII.  Alc. — After  all,  it  is  not  eafy  to  conceive  what 
fhould  move,  not  only  Matiethoy  but  alfo  other  Egyptian 
priefts,  long  before  his  time,  to  fet  up  fuch  great  preten- 
ces to  antiquity,  all  which,  however  differing  one  from 
another,  agree  in  this,  that  they  overthrow  the  Mofaic  hif- 
tory.  How  can  this  be  accounted  for,  without  fome  real 
foundation?  What  point  of  pleafure,  or  profit,  or  power, 
could  fet  men  on  forging  fucceffions  of  ancient  names, 
and  periods  of  time  for  ages  before  the  world  began  ? 

EupH. — Pray,  Alciphron^  is  there  any  thing  fo  ftrange 
or  lingular  in  this  vain  humor  of  extending  the  antiquity 
of  nations  beyond  the  truth  ?  Hath  it  not  been  obferved 
in  moft  parts  of  the  world  ?  Doth  it  not  even  in  our  own 
times  fhcv/  itfclf,  efpecially  among  thofe  dependent  and 

*  Seal.  Can,  Ifaj.     1.  ^, 


304  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

fubdued  people,  who  have  Httle  elfe  to  boafl  of.  To  pafs 
over  others  of  our  feliow-fubje6l:s,  who,  in  proportion 
as  they  are  below  their  neighbors  in  wealth  and  power, 
lay  claim  to  a  more  remote  antiquity  ;  are  not  the  preten- 
fions  of  IriJIjms7iy  in  this  way,  known  to  be  very  extrava- 
gant ?  If  I  may  truft  my  memory,  O' Flaherty ^  in  his 
Ogygia,  mentions  fome  tranfa6lions  in  Ireland  before  the 
flood.  The  fame  humor,  and  from  the  fame  caufe,  ap- 
pears to  have  prevailed  in  Sicily ,  a  country,  for  fome  cen- 
turies paft,  fubje£l  to  the  dominion  of  foreigners  :  during 
which  time,  the  Sicilians  have  publifhed  divers  fabulous 
accounts,  concerning  the  original  and  antiquity  of  their 
cities,  wherein  they  vie  with  each  other.  It  is  to  be  prov- 
ed by  ancient  infcriptlons,  whofc  exiftence  or  authority 
feems  on  a  level  with  that  of  Hermes^s  pillars,  that  Paler- 
mo was  founded  in  the  days  of  the  patriarch,  Ifaac,  by  a 
colony  of  Hebrews,  Phceniciatis,  and  Syrians,  and  that  a 
grandfon  of  Efau  had  been  governor  of  a  tower  fubfifting 
within  thefe  two  hundred  years  in  that  city.  *  The  anti- 
quity of  Mejfina  hath  been  carried  ftill  higher,  by  fome 
who  would  have  us  think  it  was  enlarged  by  Nimrod.  + 
The  like  pretenfions  are  made  by  Catania,  and  other  towns 
of  that  ifland,  who  have  found  authors  of  as  good  credit 
as  Manctho  to  fupport  them.  Now  I  (hould  be  glad  to 
know  why  the  Egyptians,  a  fubdued  people,  may  not 
probably  be  fuppofed  to  have  invented  fabulous  accounts 
from  the  fame  motive,  and  like  others  valued  themfelves 
on  extravagant  pretenfions  to  antiquity,  when  in  all  other 
refpe^ts  they  were  fo  much  inferior  to  their  mafters  ? 
That  people  had  been  fuccefliveiy  conquered  by  Ethiopians, 
Ajfyrians,  Babylonians,  Perfians,  and  Grecians,  before  it 
appears  that  thofe  wonderful  dynafties  of  Manetho  and  the 
pillars  of  EIer?nes  were  ever  heard  of;  as  they  had  been 

*  Fazelli  Hlft.  Slcul.  decad.  i.  1.  8. 
t  Reina  Notizie  Iftoriche  di  Meflioa. 


[Dial.  VL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         305 

by  the  two  fir  ft  of  thofe  nations  before  the  time  of  FioLn 
himfelf,  the  earlieft  Greek  that  is  known  to  have  confulted 
the  priefts  of  Egypt :  Whofe.  accounts  were  fo  extrava- 
gant that  even  the  Greek  hiftorians,  though  unacquainted 
with  Holy  Scripture,  were  far  from  giving  an  intire  credit 
to  them.  Herodotus  making  a  report  upon  their  authority, 
faith,  thofe,  to  whom  fuch  things  feem  credible,  may  make 
the  beft  of  them,  for  himfelf  declaring  that  it  was  his 
purpofe  to  write  what  he  heard.*  And  both  he  and  Dio- 
dorus  do,  on  divers  occafions,  fhew  the  fame  diffidence  in 
the  narratives  of  thofe  Egyptian  priefts.  And  as  we  ob- 
ferved  of  the  Egyptians^  it  is  no  lefs  certain  that  the  Phoe' 
nicianiy  AJJyrians,  and  Chaldeans  were  each  a  conquered 
and  reduced  people,  before  the  reft  of  the  world  appear 
to  have  any  thing  of  their  pretenfions  to  fo  remote  anti- 
quity. 

Cri. — But  what  occafion  is  there  to  be  at  any  pains  to 
account  for  the  humor  of  fabulous  writers  ?  Is  it  not  fuf- 
ficient  to  fee  that  they  relate  abfurdities  •,  that  they  are 
unfupported  by  any  foreign  evidence  ;  that  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  in  credit,  even  among  their  own 
countrymen,  and  that  they  are  inconfiftent  one  with  ano- 
ther ?  That  men  (hould  have  the  vanity  to  impofe  on  the 
world  by  falfe  accounts,  is  nothing  ftrange  :  it  is  much 
more  fo,  that  after  what  has  been  done  towards  unde- 
ceiving the  world  by  fo  many  learned  critics,  there  fliould 
be  men  found  capable  of  being  abufed  by  thofe  paltry 
fcraps  of  Manethoy  Berofus^  CtefiaSy  or  the  like  fabulous 
or  counterfeit  writers. 

Alc. — Give  me  leave  to  obferve,  thofe  learned  critics 
may  prove  to  be  ecclefiaftics,  perhaps  fomc  of  them  pa- 
pifts. 

Cri. — What  do  you  think  of  Sir  Ifaac  NeivtoJi,  v/as  he 
either  papift  or  ecclefiaftic  ?  Perhaps  you  may  not  allow 
him  to  have  been  in  fagacity  or  force  of  mind  equal  to  the 
♦  Herodotus  in  Euterpe. 


3o6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI.] 

great  men  of  the  Minute  Philofophy  :  But  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  he  had  read  and  thought  much  upon  the  fub- 
jed:,  and  that  the  refuit  of  his  inquiry  was  a  perfect  con- 
tempt of  all  thofe  celebrated  rivals  to  Mofes. 

Alc. — It  hath  been  obferved  by  ingenious  men,  that 
Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  though  a  layman,  was  deeply  prejudi- 
ced,  witnefs  his  great  regard  to  the  bible. 

Cri. — And  the  fame  may  be  faid  of  Mr.  Lockcy  Mr. 
Boyle y  Lord  Bacon ^  and  other  famous  laymen,  who,  how- 
ever knowing  in  fome  points,  muft  neverthelefs  be  allow- 
ed not  to  have  attained  that  keen  difcernment,  which  is 
the  peculiar  diftin6tion  of  your  itOi. 

XXIII.  But  perhaps  there  may  be  other  reafons  bc- 
iide  prejudice,  to  incline  a  man  to  gives  Mofes  the  pre- 
ference, on  the  truth  of  whofe  hiftory  the  government, 
manners,  and  religion  of  his  countrymen  were  founded 
and  framed ;  of  whofe  hiflory  there  arc  manifeft  traces 
in  the  mod  ancient  books,  and  traditions  of  the  GentileSy 
particularly  of  the  Brachmans  and  Perfees ;  not  to  men- 
tion the  general  atteflation  of  nature,  as  well  as  antiqui- 
ty, '  to  his  account  of  a  deluge  ;  whofe  hiftory  is  confirm- 
ed by  the  late  invention  of  arts  and  fciences,  the  gradual 
peopling  of  the  world,  the  very  names  of  ancient  nations, 
and  even  by  the  authority  and  arguments  of  that  renown- 
ed philofopher,  Lucretius,  who,  on  other  points,  is  fo 
much  admired  and  followed,  by  thofe  of  your  fetl. 
Not  to  mention,  that  the  continual  decreafe  of  fluids, 
the  (inking  of  hills,  and  the  retardation  of  planetary  mo- 
tions, afford  fo  many  natural  proofs,  which  fhew  this 
world  had  a  beginning ;  as  the  civil  or  hiftorical  proofs 
abovementioned,  do  plainly  point  out  this  beginning,  to 
have  been  about  the  time  affigned  in  Holy  Scripture. 
After  all  which,  I  beg  leave  to  add  one  obfervation  more. 
To  any  one,  who  confiders  that,    on  digging  into  the 


[Dial.  VL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  307 

earth,  fuch  quantities  of  fhells,  and,  in  fome  places, 
bones  and  horns  of  animals  are  found,  found  and  entire, 
after  having  lain  there  in  all  probability  fome  thoufands  of 
years,  it  fhould  feem  probable,  that  gems,  medals,  and 
implements  in  metal  or  (tone,  might  have  laded  intire, 
buried  under  ground  forty  or  fifty  thoufand  years,  if  the 
world  had  been  fo  old.  How  comes  it  then  to  pafs,  that 
no  remains  are  found,  no  antiquities  of  thofe  numerous 
ages,  preceding  the  fcripture  accounts  of  time  ;  no  frag- 
ments of  buildings  ;  no  public  monuments  ;  no  intaglias, 
cammcoes,  ftatues,  ballb  relievos,  medals,  infcriptions, 
utenfils,  or  artificial  works  of  any  kind,  are  ever  difcov- 
ered,  which  might  bear  teftimony  to  the  exiftence  of 
thofe  mighty  empires,  thofe  fuccefTions  of  monarchs, 
heroes,  and  demi-gods,  for  fo  many  thoufand  years  ? 
Let  us  look  forward,  and  fuppofe  ten  or  twenty  thoufand 
years  to  come,  during  which  time,  we  will  fuppofe,  that 
plagues,  famines,  wars,  and  earthquakes  fliall  have  made 
great  havock  in  the  world  ;  is  it  not  highly  probable, 
that  at  the  end  of  fuch  period,  pillars,  vafes,  and  ftatues 
now  in  being  of  granite,  or  porphyry,  or  jafper,  (flones 
of  fuch  hardnefs,  as  we  know  them  to  have  lafted  two 
thoufand  years  above  ground,  without  any  confiderable 
alteration)  would  bear  record  of  thefe,  and  paft  ages  ? 
Or  that  fome  of  our  current  coins  might  then  be  dug  up, 
or  old  walls  and  the  foundations  of  buildings  (hew  them- 
felves,  as  well  as  the  fhells  and  ftones  of  the  primeval 
world,  are  preferved  down  to  our  times  ?  To  me,  it  feems 
to  follow,  from  thefe  confiderations,  which  common 
fenfe  and  experience,  make  all  men  judges  of,  that  we 
may  fee  good  reafon  to  conclude,  the  world  was  created 
about  the  time  recorded  in  the  Holy  Scripture.  And  if 
we  admit  a  thing  fo  extraordinary  as  the  creation  of  this 
world,  it  fhould  feem  that  we  admit  fomething  ftrange, 
and  odd,  and  new  to  human  apprehenfion,  beyond  any 
other  miracle  whatfoever. 


3g8  minute  philosopher.     [Dial.  VI] 

XXIV.  Alciphron  fat  mufing  and  made  no  anfwer, 
whereupon  Lxficles  exprefl'ed  himfelf  in  the  following 
manner.  I  mud  own,  I  fliould  rather  fuppofe  with 
Lucrt'tlusy  that  the  world  was  made  by  chance,  and  that 
men  grew  out  of  the  earth  like  pompions,  than  pin  my 
faith  on  thofe  wretched  fabulous  fragments  of  oriental 
hiftory.  And  as  for  the  learned  men,  who  have  taken 
pains  to  illuftrate  and  piece  them  together,  they  appear  to 
me  no  better  than  fo  many  mufty  pedants.  An  ingenious 
free-thinker  m^ay,  perhaps,  now  and  then  make  fome  ufe 
of  their  lucubrations,  and  play  one  abfurdity  againft  ano- 
ther. But  you  are  not,  therefore,  to  think,  he  pays  any 
real  regard  to  the  authority  of  fuch  apocryphal  writers,  or 
believes  one  fyllable  of  the  Chinsfey  Babyloniany  or  Egyptran 
traditions.  If  we  feem  to  give  them  a  preference  before 
the  bible,  it  is  only  becaufe  they  are  not  eftablilhed  by 
law.  This  is  my  plain  fenfe  of  the  matter,  and  I  dare 
fay  it  is  the  general  fenfe  of  our  fe£l: ;  who  are  too  ration- 
al to  be  in  earnell  on  fuch  trifles,  though  they  fometimes 
give  hints  of  deep  erudition,  and  put  on  a  grave  face  to 
divert  themfelves  with  bigots. 

Alc. — Since  Lsjlcles  will  have  it  fo,  I  am  content  not 
to  build  on  accounts  of  time,  preceding  the  Mofaic.  I 
muft  neverthelefs  beg  leave  to  obferve,  there  is  another 
point  of  a  different  nature,  againft  which  there  do  not  lie 
the  fame  exceptions,  that  deferves  to  be  confidered,  and 
may  ferve  our  purpofe  as  well.  I  prefume  it  will  be  al- 
lowed that  hiflorians,  treating  of  times  within  the  Mofaic 
account,  ought  by  impartial  men  to  be  placed  on  the  fame 
fcot  with  Mcfes.  It  m.ay  therefore  be  expe<3:ed,  that 
thofe,  who  pretend  to  vindicate  his  vv^ritings,  fhould  re- 
concile theni  with  parallel  accounts  of  other  authors,  treat- 
ing of  the  fame  times,  things,  and  perfons.  And,  if 
we  are  not  attached  fingly  to  Mofesy  but  take  our  notions 
from   other  writers^  and  the  prob^ibility  of   things,   we 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  50$* 

ihall  fee  good  caufe  to  believe,  the  Je-ws  were  only  a  crew 
of  leprous  Egyptians^  driven  from  their  country  on  account 
of  that  loathfome  diftemper  :  And  that  their  religion, 
pretended  to  have  been  delivered  from  heaven  at  Mount 
^inaiy  was  in  truth  learned  in  Egypt^  and  brought  from 
thence. 

Cri. — Not  to  infift,  on  what  cannot  be  denied,  that 
an  hiftorian,  writing  of  his  own  times  is  to  be  believed, 
before  others  who  treat  of  the  fame  fubjec):,  feveral  ages 
after,  it  feems  to  me  that  it  is  abfurd  to  expe£l  we  fhould 
reconcile  Mcfcs  with  profane  Iiidorians,  till  you  have  firft 
reconciled  them  one  with  another.  In  anfwer,  therefore, 
to  what  you  obferve,  I  defire  you  would  confider  in  tlie 
firfl  place,  that  Manethoy  Cheremo7iy  and  Lyfimacktis  had 
publiflied  inconfiftent  accounts  of  the  Jeius,  and  their  go- 
ing forth  from  Egypt :  *  In  the  fecond  place,  that  their 
language  is  a  plain  proof,  they  were  not  of  Egyptiatty  but 
either  of  Pheniciatjy  of  Syriany  or  of  Chaldean  original  : 
And  in  the  third  place,  that  it  doth  not  feem  very  proba- 
ble to  fuppofe,  their  religion,  the  balls  or  fundamental 
principle  of  which  was  the  worfhip  of  one  only  Supreme 
God,  and  the  principal  defign  of  which  was  to  abolifli 
idolatry,  could  be  derived  from  Egypty  the  mod  idolatrous 
of  all  nations.  It  mufl  be  owned,  the  feparate  (ituatlon 
and  inftitutions  of  the  JcwSy  occafioned  their  being  treat- 
ed by  fome  foreigners,  with  great  ignorance  and  contempt 
of  them,  and  their  original.  -But  Siraboy  who  is  allowed 
to  have  been  a  judicious  and  inquifitive  writer,  though  he 
was  not  acquainted  with  their  true  hiftory,  makes  more 
honorable  mention  of  them,  lie  relates  that  7l<f -5/^/,  with 
many  other  wormippers  of  one  infinite  God,  not  approv- 
ing the  image  worihip  of  the  Egyptians  and  other  nations, 
went  out  from  Egypt  and  fettled  in  Jerufaleniy  where  they 
built  a  temple,  to  one  only  God  without  images,  f 

*  Tofeph.  contra  Apion.  I.  i.  |  Strab.  1.  16, 


310  MINUTEPHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VL] 

XXV.  Alc. — We  who  aflert  the  caufe  of  hberty  againfl 
religion,  in  thefe  later  ages  of  the  world,  lie  under  great 
difadvantages,  from  the  lofs  of  ancient  books,  which 
cleared  up  many  points  to  the  eyes  of  thofe  great  men, 
CelfuSy  Porphyyyy  and  Julian,  which  at  a  greater  diflance, 
and  with  lefs  help,  cannot  fo  eafily  be  made  out  by  us  : 
But,  had  we  thofe  records,  I  doubt  not,  we  might  demol- 
ifh  the  whole  fyftem  at  once. 

Cri.— And  yet  I  make  fome  doubt  of  this  ;  becaufc 
thofe  great  men,  as  you  call  them,  with  all  thofe  advanta- 
ges could  not  do  it. 

Alc. — ^That  mud  needs  have  been  owing  to  the  dul- 
nefs,  and  ftupidity  of  the  world,  in  thofe  days,  when 
the  art  of  reafoning  was  not  fo  much  known  and  cultiva- 
ted as  of  late  :  But  thofe  men  of  true  genius  faw  through 
the  deceit  themfelves,  and  were  very  clear  in  their  opin- 
ion, which  convinces  me,  they  had  good  reafon  on  their 
fide. 

Cri. — And  yet  that  great  man  Celfus  feems  to  have  had 
very  flight  and  inconftant  notions  :  one  while,  he  talks 
like  a  thorough  Epicurean  ;  another,  he  admits  miracles, 
prophecies,  and  a  future  ftate  of  rewards  and  punifliments. 
What  think  you,  Alciphron,  is  it  not  fomething  capricious 
in  fo  great  a  man,  among  other  ^advantages  which  he 
afcribes  to  brutes  above  human  kind,  to  fuppofe  they  are 
magicians  and  prophets  ;  that  they  have  a  nearer  com- 
merce and  union  with  the  divinity  ;  that  they  know  more 
than  men  ;  and  that  elephants,  in  particular,  are  of  all 
others  moft  religious  animals,  and  flri£i:  obfervers  of  an 
oath.  * 

Alc— A  great  genius  will  be  fometimes  whimfical. 
But  what  do  you  fay  to  the  emperor,  Julian,  was  not  he 
an  extraordinary  man  .'* 

Cri. — He  feems  by  his  writings,  to  have  been  lively 
and  fatirical.     Further,  I  make  no  difficulty  of  owning 

*  Origen.  contra  Celfum.  I.  4, 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  311 

that  he  was  a  generous,  temperate,  gallant,  and  facetious 
emperor  :  But  at  the  fame  time  it  muft  be  allowed,  be- 
caufe  his  own  heathen  panegyrift,  Ammianus  Alarcellinus^  * 
allows  it,  that  he  was  a  prating,  light,  vain,  fuperftitious 
fort  of  man.  And,  therefore,  his  judgment,  or  author- 
ity can  be  but  6c  fmall  weight  with  thofe,  who  are  not 
prejudiced  in  his  favor. 

Alc. — But  of  all  the  great  men,  who  wrote  againft 
revealed  religion,  the  greateft  without  queftion  was  that 
truly  great  man,  Porphyryy  the  lofs  of  whofe  invaluable 
work  can  never  be  fufficiently  lamented.  This  profound 
philofopher  went  to  the  bottom  and  original  of  things. 
He  moil  learnedly  confuted  the  fcriptures,  fhewed  the  ab- 
furdity  of  the  Mofaic  accounts,  undermined  and  expo- 
fed  the  prophecies,  and  ridiculed  allegorical  interpreta- 
tions, f  The  moderns,  it  muft  be  owned,  have  done 
great  things,  and  fhewn  themfelves  able  men  :  Yet  I  can- 
not but  regret  the  lofs  of  what  was  done  by  a  perfon  of 
fuch  vaft  abilities,  and  who  lived  fo  much  nearer  the  foun- 
tain-head ;  though  his  authority  furvives  his  writings,  and 
muft  ftill  have  its  weight,  with  impartial  men,  in  fpite  of 
the  enemies  of  truth. 

Cri. — Porphyry,  I  grant,  was  a  thorough  infidel,  tho' 
he  appears  by  no  means  to  have  been  incredulous.  It 
feems  he  had  a  great  opinion  of  wizards  and  necromanc- 
ers, and  b;;lieved  the  myfteries,  miracles,  and  prophecies 
of  Theurgijls  and  Egyptian  priefts.  He  was  far  from  be- 
ing an  enemy  to  obfcure  jargon,  and  pretended  to  extra- 
ordinary extafies.  In  a  word,  this  great  man  appears  to 
have  been  as  unintelligible  as  a  fchoolman,  as  fuperfti- 
tious as  a  monk,  and  as  fanatical  as  any  quietift  or  qua- 
ker :  and,  to  complete  his  charadter  as  Minute  Philofo- 
pher,   he   was  under  ftrong  temptations  to  lay  violent 

*  Am,  Marcellln.  1.  45. 

f  Luc.  Holftenius  de  vita  &  fcrlptls  Porphyril, 


312  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  L^ial.  VI.] 

hands  on  himfelf.  We  may  frame  a  notion  of  this  patri- 
arch of  infidelity,  from  his  judicious  way  of  thinking  up- 
on other  points,  as  well  as  the  chriftian  religion.  So  fa- 
gacious  was  he  as  to  find  out,  that  the  fouls  of  infefts, 
when  feparated  from  their  bodies,  become  rational :  that 
demons  of  a  thoufand  ftiapes  affift  in  m-sking  philtrums 
and  charms,  whofe  fpirituai  bodies  are  nourilhed  and  fat- 
tened by  the  fleams  of  libations  and  facrifices  :  That  the 
"ghofts  of  thofe,  who  died  violent  deaths,  ufe  to  haunt  and 
appear  about  their  fepulchres.  This  fame  egregious  phi- 
lofopher  advifeth  a  wife  man  not  to  eat  fiefh,  left  the  impure 
foul  of  the  brute  that  was  put  to  violent  death  fliould  en- 
ter, along  with  the  flefh  into  thofe  who  eat  it.  He  adds, 
as  a  matter  of  fa£l:,  confirmed  by  many  experiments,  that 
thofe  who  would  infinuate  into  them fe Ives  the  fouls  of 
fuch  animals,  as  have  the  gift  of  foretelling  things  to  come, 
need  only  eat  a  principal  part,  the  heart,  for  inftance,  of 
a  flag  or  a  mole,  and  fo  receive  the  foul  of  the  animal, 
which  will  prophefy  in  them  like  a  God.*  No  wonder 
if  men,  whofe  minds  were  preoccupied  by  faith  and  tenets 
of  fuch  a  peculiar  kind,  fhould  be  averfe  from  the  recep- 
tion of  the  gofpel.  Upon  the  whole,  we  defire  to  be  ex- 
cufed,  if  we  do  not  pay  the  fame  deference  to  the  judg- 
ment of  men,  that  appear  to  us  whimfical,  fuperflitious, 
weak,  and  vifionary,  which  thofe  impartial  gentlemen  do, 
who  admire  their  talents,  and  are  proud  to  tread  in  their 
footfteps. 

Alc. — Men  fee  things  in  different  views  :  what  one 
admires  another  contemns  :  it  is  even  poffible  for  a  preju- 
diced mind,  whofe  attention  is  turned  towards  the  faults 
and  blemifhes  of  things,  to  fancy  fome  fliadow  of  defedi 
in  thofe  great  lights,  which  in  our  ov;n  days  have  enlight- 
ened, and  ftill  continue  to  enlighten  the  world. 

*  Vide  Porphyrium  de  abfllnentla,  de  facrlficlls,  de  pils,  &  dcmonibui. 


[Dial.  VL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  313 

XXVI.  But  pray  tell  me,  Crko,  what  you  think  of 
Jofephus  ?  He  is  allowed  to  have  been  a  man  of  learning 
and  judgment.  He  was  himfelf  an  alTerter  of  revealed 
religion.  And  chrillians,  when  his  authority  ferves  their 
turn,  are  ufed  to  cite  him  with  refpecl. 

Cri. — All  this  I  acknowledge. 

Alc. — Muft  it  not  then  feem  very  ftrange,  and  very 
fufpicious  to  every  impartial  inquirer,  that  this  learned 
Jeiji^  writing  the  hiftory  of  his  own  country,  of  that 
very  place,  and  thofe  very  times,  where  and  when  Jefus 
Chrtji  made  his  appearance,  fhould  yet  fay  nothing  of  the 
charafter,  miracles,  and  dodlrine  of  that  extraordinary 
perfon  ?  Some  ancient  chriftians  were  fo  fenlible  of  this, 
that,  to  make  amends,  they  inferted  a  famous  paflage  in 
that  hiftorian  -,  which  impofture  hath  been  fufficiently  de- 
tected by  able  critics  in  the  laft  age. 

Cri. — Though  there  are  not  wanting  able  critics  on 
the  other  fide  of  the  queftion,  yet,  not  to  enter  upon  the 
difcuflion  of  that  celebrated  paflage,  I  am  content  to  give 
you  all  you  can  defire,  and  fuppofe  it  not  genuine,  but 
the  pious  fraud  of  fome  wrong-headed  chriftian,  who 
could  not  brook  the  omiffion  in  Jofephus  :  But  this  will 
never  make  fuch  omiflion  a  real  objection  againft  chrif- 
tianity.  Nor  is  there,  for  ought  I  can  fee,  any  thing  in 
it  whereon  to  ground  either  admiration  or  fufpicion  ;  in- 
afmuch  as  it  fhould  feem  very  natural,  fuppofing  the  gof- 
pel  account  exa<Elly  true,  {or  Jofephus  to  have  faid  nothing 
of  it  ;  confidering  that  the  view  of  that  writer  was  to  give 
his  country  fome  figure  in  the  eye  of  the  world,  which 
had  been  greatly  prejudiced  againft  the  Jews,  and  knew 
little  of  their  hiftory,  to  which  end  the  life  and  death  of 
our  Saviour  would  not  in  any  wife  have  conduced  ;  con- 
fidering that  Jofephus  could  not  have  been  an  eye-witnefs 
of  our  Saviour  or  his  miracles  ;  confidering  that  he  was 
a  Fharifee  of   quality  and  learning,    foreign   as  well    as 

0.1 


314  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VL] 

Jeiuijh,  one  of  great  employment  in  the  ftate,  and  that  the 
gofpel  was  preached  to  the  poor  ;  that  the  firft  inftruments 
of  fpreading  it,  and  the  firft  converts  to  it,  were  mean  and 
illiterate,  that  it  might  not  feem  the  work  of  man,  or  be- 
holden to  human  intereft  or  power  ;  confidering  the  gen- 
eral prejudice  of  the  Jews,  who  expe£i:ed  in  the  Mefftah 
a  temporal  and  conquering  prince  *,  which  prejudice  was 
as  ftrong,  that  they  chofe   rather   to    attribute    our  Sav- 
iour's miracles  to  the  devil,  than  to  acknowledge  hin;  to 
be  the  Chrift :  Confidering  alfo  the  hellifh  diforder   and 
confufion  of  the    Jenv'ip   ftate    in  the  days  of  Jofephus  ; 
when  men's  minds  were  filled  and  aftoniftied  with  unpar- 
alleled wars,  diflenfions,  maflacres,  and  feditions  of  that 
devoted  people.      Laying  all  thefe  things  together,  I  do 
not  think  it  ftrange,  that  fuch  a  man,  writing  with  fuch 
a  view,  at  fuch  a  time,  and  in  fuch  circumftances,  ihould 
omit  to  defcribe  our  blefled  Saviour's  life  and  death,  or 
to  mention  his  miracles,  or  to  take  notice  of  the  ftate  of 
the  chriftian  church,  which  was  then  as  a  grain  of  muft- 
ard  feed,  beginning  to   take  root  and   germinate.       And 
this  will  feem  ftill  lefs  ftrange,  if  it  be  confidered,  that 
the  apoftles,  in  a  few  years  after  our  Saviour's  death,  de- 
parted from  Jerufalemy  fetting  themfelves  to  convert  the 
Gentiksy  and  were  difperfed  throughout  the  world  \  that 
the  converts  in  Jerufakm  were  not  only  of  the  meaneft  of 
the  people,  but  alfo  few ;    the  three   thoufand  added  to 
the  church  in  one  day,  upon  Feter\  preaching  in  that  city, 
appearing  to   have  been  not  inhabitants,    but   ftrangers 
from  all  parts,  aflembled  to  celebrate  the  feaft  of  Pente- 
coft ;  and  that  all  the  time  of  Jofephus y  and    for   feveral 
years  after,  during   a   fuccefiion  of  fifteen   biftiops,  the 
chriftians  at    Jerufakm  obferved  the  Mofatc  law,  *  and 
were  confequently,  in  outward  appearance,  one  people 

♦  Sulp.  Sever.  Sacr,  Hift.  la,  &Eufeb.  Chron.  lib.  pofter. 


[Dial.  VL]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  315 

with  the  reft  of  the  Jeivs^  which  muft  have  made  them 
lefs  obfervable.  I  would  fain  know  what  reafoii  we  have 
to  fuppofe,  that  the  gofpel,  which,  in  its  firfts  propaga- 
tion, feemed  to  overlook  the  great  or  confiderable  men 
of  this  world,  might  not  alfo  have  been  overlooked  by 
them,  as  a  thing  not  fuited  to  their  apprehcnfions  and 
way  of  thinking  ?  Befides,  in  thofe  early  times  might  not 
other  learned  Jeivs^  as  well  as  Gamaliel ^^  fufpend  their 
judgment  of  this  new  way,  as  not  knowing  what  to  make 
or  fay  of  it,  being  on  one  hand,  unable  to  quit  the  notions 
and  traditions  in  which  they  were  brought  up,  and,  on 
the  other,  not  daring  to  refift  or  fpeak  againft  the  gofpel, 
left  they  fhould  be  found  to  fight  againft  God  ?  Surely  at 
all  events,  it  could  never  be  expelled,  that  an  uncon- 
verted Je'W  (hould  give  the  fame  account  of  the  life,  mi- 
racles, and  do61:rines  of  Jffus  Chrifly  as  might  becom.e  a 
chriftian  to  have  given  :  Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  was  it 
at  all  improbable,  that  a  man  of  fenfe  (hould  beware  to 
leflen  or  traduce  what,  for  ought  he  knew,  might  have 
been  a  heavenly  difpenfation  ;  between  which  two  courfes, 
the  middle  was  to  fay  nothing,  but  pafs  it  over,  in  a 
doubtful,  or  a  refpe£iful  filence.  And  it  is  obfervable, 
that  where  this  hiftorian  occafionally  mentions  Jefus  Chriji 
in  his  account  of  St.  James's  death,  he  doth  it  without 
any  refle^lion,  or  faying,  either  good  or  bad,  though  at 
the  fame  time,  he  (hev/s  a  regard  for  the  apoftle.  It  is 
obfervable,  I  fay,  that  fpeaking  of  Jefusy  his  expreflion 
is,  who  was  called  the  Chrift,  not  who  pretended  to  be 
the  Chrift,  or  who  was  falfely  called  the  Chrift,  but  Am- 
ply, tou  legomenou  Ckrifiou.  *  It  is  evident,  Jofephus 
knew  there  was  fuch  a  man  as  Jefusy  and  that  he  was 
faid  to  be  the  Chrift,  and  yet  he  condemns  neither  him  nor 
his  followers  *,  which  to  me  feems  an  argument  in  their 
favor.     Certainly,  if  we  fuppofe  Jofephus  to  have  known, 

t  Ads  V.  *  Jof.  Ant.  1.  ao.  c.  8. 


3i6  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VL] 

or  been  perfuaded,  that  he  was  an  impoftor,  it  will  be 
difficult  to  account  for  his  not  faying  fo  in  plain  terms. 
But,  if  we  fuppofe  him  in  Gamaliel's  way  of  thinking, 
who  fufpended  his  judgment,  and  was  afraid  of  being 
found  to  fight  againft  God,  it  fliould  feem  natural  for 
him  to  behave  in  that  very  manner,  which,  according  to 
you,  makes  againft  our  faith,  but  I  verily  think,  makes 
for  it  :  But  what  if  Jofephus  had  been  a  bigot,  or  even  a 
faddiiceey  an  infidel,  an  atheift  ?  What  then  !  we  readily 
grant  there  might  have  been  perfons  of  rank,  poHticians, 
generals,  and  men  of  letters,  then  as  well  as  now,  Jeivsy 
as  well  as  Rnglipjmen^  who  believed  no  revealed  religion  : 
And  that  fome  fuch  perfons  might  poflibly  have  heard  of 
a  man  in  low  life,  who  performed  miracles  by  magic,  with- 
out informing  themfelves,  or  perhaps  ever  inquiring 
about  his  miffion  and  do£trine.  Upon  the  whole,  I  can- 
not comprehend  why  any  man  fhould  conclude  againft  the 
truth  ©f  the  gofpel,  from  Jofephus* s  omitting  to  fpeak  of  it, 
any  more  than  from  his  omitting  to  embrace  it.  Had  the 
firft  chriftians  been  chief  priefts  and  rulers,  or  men  of  fci- 
ence  and  learning,  like  Ph'ilo  and  Jofephus,  it  might  per- 
haps with  better  colour  have  been  objected,  that  their  re- 
ligion was  of  human  contrivance,  than  now  that  it  hath 
pleafed  God  by  weak  things  to  confound  the  ftrong.  This 
I  think  fufficientiy  accounts,  why,  in  the  beginning,  the 
gofpel  might  overlook  or  be  overlooked  by  men  of  a  cer- 
tain rank  and  charaiSler. 

XXVil.  Alc. — And  yet  it  feems  an  odd  argument  in 
proof  of  any  dodrine,  that  it  was  preached  by  fimple 
people,  to  fimple  people. 

Cri. — Indeed  if  there  was  no  other  atteftation  to  the 
truth  of  the  chriftian  religion,  this  rauft  be  owned  a  very 
weak  one.  But  if  a  do£lrine  begun  by  inftruments, 
mean^  as  to  all  human   advantages,  and  making  its  firft 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         317 

progrefs  among  thofe,  who  had  neither  wealth,  nor  art,  nor 
power,  to  grace  or  encourage  it,  fiiouldin  a  fhort  time,  by- 
its  own  innate  excellency,  the  mighty  force  of  miracles, 
and  the  demonftration  of  the  fpirit,  not  only  without, 
b  ut  againft,  all  worldly  motives,  fpread  through  the  world, 
and  fubdue  men  of  all  ranks  and  conditions- of  life,  would 
it  not  be  very  unreafonable  to  reject  or  fufpe^i  it,  for  the 
want  of  human  means  ?  And  might  not  this  with  much 
better  reafon  be  thought  an  argument  of  its  coming  from 
God  ? 

Alc— But  ftill  an  inquifitive  man  will  want  the  tefti- 
mony  of  men  of  learning  and  knowledge. 

Cri. — But  from  the  firfl:  century  onwards,  there  was 
never  wanting  the  teftimony  of  fuch  men  who  wrote 
learnedly  in  defence  of  the  chriftian  religion,  who  lived, 
many  of  them,  when  the  memory  of  things  Avas  frefh, 
who  had  abilities  to  judge,  and  means  to  know,  and  who 
gave  the  cleared  proofs  of  their  conviction  and  fincerity. 

Alc. — But  all  the  while  thefe  men  were  chriftians, 
prejudiced  chriftians,  and  therefore  their  teftimony  is  to 
be  fufpe£led, 

Cri. — It  feems  then  you  would  have  Jews  or  heathens 
attcft  to  the  truths  of  chriftianity. 

Alc. — That  is  the  very  thing  I  want. 

Crl — But  how  can  this  be  ?  Or  if  it  could,  would 
not  any  rational  man  be  apt  to  fufpect  fuch  evidence,  and 
afk,  how  it  was  poflible  for  a  man  really,  to  believe  fuch 
things  himfelf,  and  not  become  a  chriftian  ?  The  apoftles 
and  firft  converts  were  themfelves  Jawsy  and  brought  up 
in  a  veneration  for  the  law  of  Mojts^  and  in  all  the  preju- 
dices of  that  people  :  Many  fathers,  chriftian  philofo- 
phers,  and  learned  apologifts  for  the  faith,  who  had  been 
bred  Gentiles^  were  without  doubt  imbued  with  prejudices 
of  education  :  And  if  the  finger  of  God,  and  force  of 
truth  converted  both  the  one  and  the  other  from  JudaJjm.^ 


3i8  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

or  Gentili/m,  in  fpite  of  their  prejudices,  to  chriftianity, 
is  not  their  teftimony  fo  much  the  ftronger  ?  You  have 
then  the  fufFrages  of  both  Jews  and  Geniilesy  attefting  to 
the  truth  of  our  religion,  in  the  earlieft  ages.  But  to 
expert  or  defire  the  atteftation  of  Jews  remaining  Jews^ 
or  of  Gentiles  remaining  Gentilesy  feems  unreafonable : 
^or  can  it  be  imagined  that  the  teftimony  of  men,  who 
were  not  converted  themfelves,  fliould  be  the  likeheft  to 
convert  others.  We  have  indeed,  the  teftimony  of  hea- 
then writers  to  prove,  That  about  the  time  of  our  Saviour's 
birth,  there  was  a  general  expectation  in  the  eaft,  of  a 
Mejfiahf  or  prince,  who  (hould  found  a  new  dominion  : 
That  there  were  fuch  people  as  chriftians  :  That  they  were 
cruelly  perfecuted,  and  put  to  death :  That  they  were 
innocent  and  holy  in  life,  and  worftiip  :  And  that  there 
did  really  exift  in  that  time,  certain  perfons,  and  faiSls 
mentioned  in  the  New  Teftament :  And  for  other  points, 
we  have  learned  fathers,  feveral  of  whom  had  been,  as 
I  already  obferved,  bred  heathens,  to  atteft  their  truth. 

Alc. — For  my  part,  I  have  no  great  opinion  of  the 
capacity  or  learning  of  the  fathers,  and  many  learned  men, 
cfpecially  of  the  reformed  churches  abroad,  are  of  the 
fame  mind,  which  faves  me  the  trouble  of  looking  myfelf, 
into  their  voluminous  writings. 

Cri.— I  fhall  not  take  upon  me  to  fay,  with  the  Minute 
Philofopher,  Pomponatiusy*  that  Origen,  Baft/,  Augiijiiney 
and  divers  other  fathers,  were  equal  to  PlatOt  Ariftotky 
and  the  greateft  of  the  Gentiles^  in  human  knowledge. 
But,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  make  a  judgment  from  what 
I  have  feen  of  their  writings,  I  ftiould  think  feveral  of 
them  men  of  great  parts,  eloquence,  and  learning,  and 
much  fuperior  to  thofe  who  feem  to  undervalue  them. 
Without  any  affront  to  certain  modern  critics,  or  tranfla- 
tors,  Erafmus  may  be  allowed  a  man  of  fine  tafte,  and  a 

*  Lib.  dt  immortalitate  animx. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  31^ 

fit  judge  of  fenfe  and  good  writing,  though  his  judgment 
in  this  point  was  very  different  from  theirs.  Some  of  our 
reformed  brethren,  becaufe  the  Romanijis  attribute  too 
much,  feem  to  have  attributed  too  little  to  them,  from  a 
very  ufual,  though  no  very  judicious  oppofition :  Which 
is  apt  to  lead  men  to  remark  defecS^s,  without  making 
proper  allowances,  and  to  fay  things  which  neither  piety, 
candor,  nor  good  fenfe  require  them  to  fay. 

XXVIII.  Alc. — But  though  I  ihould  acknowledge, 
that  a  concurring  teflimony  of  many  learned  and  able  men 
throughout  the  firft  ages  of  chriftianity  may  have  its  weight, 
yet  when  I  confider  the  great  number  of  forgeries  and 
herefics  that  fprung  up  in  thofe  times,  it  very  much  weak- 
ens their  credit. 

Cri. — Pray,  Alciphrorty  would  it  be  allowed  a  good  ar- 
gument in  the  mouth  of  a  papift  againft  the  reformation, 
that  many  abfurd  fe£ls  fprung  up  at  the  fame  time  with 
it  ?  Are  we  to  wonder,  that  when  good  feed  is  fowing, 
the  enemy  (hould  fow  tares  .^  But  at  once  to  cut  off  fever- 
al  objedions,  let  us  fuppofe  in  fact,  what  you  do  not  de- 
ny poffible,  tliat  there  is  a  God,  a  devil,  and  a  revelation 
from  heaven  committed  to  writing  many  centuries  ago. 
Do  but  take  a  view  of  human  nature,  and  confider,  what 
would  probably  follow  upon  fuch  a  fuppofition  :  And 
whether  it  is  not  very  likely,  there  (hould  be  half-believers, 
miftaksn  bigots,  holy  frauds,  ambitious,  interefted,  dif- 
puting,  conceited,  fchifmatical,  heretical,  abfurd  men 
among  the  profeffors  of  fuch  revealed  religion,  as  well  as 
after  a  courfe  of  ages,  various  readings,  omiffions,  tranf- 
pofitions,  and  obfcurities  in  the  text  of  the  facred  oracles  ? 
And  if  fo,  I  leave  you  to  judge,  whether  it  be  reafona- 
ble  to  make  thofe  events  an  objection  againft  the  bging  of 
a  thing,  which  would  probably  and  naturally  follow  upon 
the  fuppofal  of  its  being. 

Alc. — After  all,  fay  what  you  will,  this  variety  of 
opinions  muft  needs  (hake  the  faith  of  a  reafonable  man. 


320  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

Where  there  are  fo  many  difFerent  opinions  on  the  fame 
point,  it  is  very  certain  they  cannot  all  be  true,  but  it  is 
certain  they  may  all  be  falfe.  And  the  means  to  find  out 
the  truth  !  When  a  man  of  fenfe  fets  about  this  inquiry, 
he  finds  himfelf  on  a  fudden,  ftartled  and  amufed  with 
hard  words  and  knotty  queftions.  This  makes  him  aban- 
don the  purfuit,  thinking  the  game  not  worth  the  chace. 

Cri. — But  would  not  this  man  of  fenfe  do  well  to  con- 
fider,  it  muft  argue  want  of  difcernment,  to  rejeft  divine 
truths  for  the  fake  of  human  folHes  ?  Ufe  but  the  fame 
candor  and  impartiality  in  treating  of  religion,  that  you 
would  think  proper  on  other  fubjeds.  We  defire  no  more, 
and  expert  no  lefs.  In  law,  in  phyfic,  in  politics,  where- 
ever  men  have  refined,  is  it  not  evident  they  have  been  al- 
ways apt  to  run  into  difputes  and  chicane  ?  But  will  that 
hinder  you  from  admitting  there  are  many  good  rules,  and 
juft  notions,  and  ufeful  truths  in  all  thofe  profeflions. 
Phyficians  may  difpute,  perhaps  vainly  and  unintelligibly, 
about  the  animal  fyftem  :  They  may  affign  difFerent  cau- 
fes  of  diflempers,  fome  explaining  them  by  the  elementa- 
ry qualities,  hot  and  cold,  moid  and  dry,  others  by  chy- 
niical,  others  by  mechanical  principles  :  Yet  this  doth  not 
hinder  but  the  bark  may  be  good  for  an  ague,  and  rhu- 
barb for  a  flux.  Nor  can  it  be  inferred  from  the  difFer- 
ent fecis,  which,  from  time  to  time,  have  fprung  up  in 
that  profefFion,  the  dogmatic,  for  inftance,  empiric,  me- 
thodic, galenic,  paracelfian,  or  the  hard  words,  and 
knotty  queflions,  and  idle  theories,  which  have  grown 
from  them,  or  been  ingrafted  on  them,  that  therefore  we 
fiiould  deny  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  or  reject  their 
excellent  rules  about  exercife,  air,  and  diet. 

Alc. — It  feems  you  would  fcreen  religion  by  the  ex- 
ample of  other  profefTions,  all  which  have  produced  fe(9;s 
and  difputes  as  well  as  chriftianity,  which  according  to 
you  may  in  itfelf,  be  true  and  ufeful,  notv/ithftanding 


[Dial.  VL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  321 

many   falfe  and  fruitlefs  notions  Ingrafted  on  It,  by  the 
wit  of  man.      But  certainly  if  this  had  been  obferved,  or  « 
beheved  by  many  acute  reafoners,  they  would  never  have 
made  the  multiphcity  of  religious  opinions,  and  contro- 
verfies,  an  argument  againft  religion  in  general. 

Cri. — How  fuch  an  obvious  truth  fhould  efcape  men 
of  fenfe  and  inquiry,  I  leave  you  to  account :  But  I  can 
very  eafily  account  for  grofs  miftakes  in  thofe,  who  pafs 
for  free-thinkers,  without  ever  thinking :  Or,  if  they  do 
think,  whofe  meditations  are  employed  on  other  points  of 
a  very  different  nature,  from  a  ferious  and  impartial  inqui- 
ry about  religion. 

XXIX.  But  to  return  :  What,  or  where  Is  the  profef- 
fion  of  men,  who  never  fplit  Into  fchifms,  or  never  talk 
nonfenfe  ?  Is  it  not  evident,  that,  out  of  all  the  kinds  of 
knowledge,  on  which  the  human  mind  is  employed,  there 
grow  certain  excrefcences,  which  may  be  pared  off  like 
the  clippings  of  hair,  or  nails  in  the  body,  and  with  no 
worfe  confequence.  Whatever  bigots  or  enthufiafts, 
whatever  notional  or  fcholaftic  divines  may  fay  or  think, 
it  is  certain,  the  faith  derived  from  Chrift,  and  his  apof- 
tles,  was  not  a  piece  of  empty  fophiftry  :  They  did  not 
deliver  and  tranfmit  down  to  us  henen  apaten  gumnen  gm^nen 
to  ufe  the  expreffion  of  a  holy  confefTor.*  And  to  pretend  to 
demolifh  their  foundation  for  the  fake  of  human  fuperftruc- 
ture,  be  it  hay  or  ftubble,  or  what  It  will,  Is  no  argument  of 
juft  thought  or  reafon ;  any  more  than  it  is  of  fairnefs,  to  fup- 
pofe  a  doubtful  fenfe  fixed,  and  argue  from  one  fide  of 
the  queftion  in  difputed  points.  Whether,  for  inftance, 
the  beginning  of  Genefis  is  to  be  underftood  in  a  literal  or 
allegorical  fenfe  }  Whether  the  book  of  Job  be  an  hifliory 
or  a  parable  ?  Being  points  difputed  between  chriftians, 
an  infidel  can  have  no  right  to  argue  from  one  fide  of  the 

*  Socr.  Hiftor.  Ecclef.  1. 

R  r 


52i  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VL] 

queftion  in  thofe,  or  the  like  cafes.  This  or  that  tenet 
of  a  feet,  this  or  that  controverted  notion  is  not  what  wc 
contend  for  at  prefent,  but  the  general  faith,  taught  by 
Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  and  preferved  by  univerfal  and 
perpetual  tradition,  in  all  the  churches  down  to  our  own 
times.  To  tax  or  ftrike  at  this  divine  doftrine,  on  account 
of  things  foreign  and  adventitious,  the  fpeculations  and 
difputes  of  curious  men,  is  in  my  mind,  an  abfurdity  of 
the  fame  kind,  as  it  would  be  to  cut  down  a  fine  tree, 
yielding  fruit  and  fhade,  becaufe  its  leaves  afforded  nour- 
ilhment  to  caterpillers,  or  becaufe  fpiders  may  now  and 
then  weave  cobwebs  among  the  branches. 

Alc. — To  divide  and  diftinguifh  would  take  time.  We 
have  feveral  gentlemen  very  capable  of  judging  in  the 
grofs,  but  that  want  attention  for  irkfome  and  dry  ftudies 
or  minute  inquiries.  To  which,  as  it  would  be  very  hard 
to  oblige  men  againft  their  will,  fo  it  mufl  be  a  great  wrong 
to  the  world,  as  well  as  themfelves,  to  debar  them  from 
the  right  of  deciding  according  to  their  natural  fenfe  of 
things. 

Ori.-- It  were  to  be  wifhed  thofc  capable  men  would 
employ  their  judgment  and  attention  on  the  fame  objects. 
If  theological  inquires  are  unpalatable,  the  field  of  nature 
is  wide.  How  many  difcoveries  to  be  made  !  How  ma- 
ny errors  to  be  corrected  in  arts  and  fciences  !  How  many 
vices  to  be  reformed  in  life  and  manners  !  Why  do  men 
fingle  out  fuch  points  as  are  innocent  and  ufeful,  when 
there  are  fo  many  pernicious  mift?.kes  to  be  amended  ? 
Why  fet  themfelves  to  deflroy  the  hopes  of  human  kind 
and  encouragements  to  virtue  ?  Why  delight  to  judge 
where  they  difdain  to  inquire  ?  Why  not  employ  their  no- 
ble talents  on  the  longitude  or  perpetual  motion  ? 

Alc. — I  wonder  you  would  not  fee  the  difference  be- 
tween points  of  curiofity  and  religion.  Thofe  employ 
only  men  of  a  genius  or  humor  fuited  to  them  :  But  all 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  323 

mankind  have  a  right  to  cenfure,  and  are  concerned  to 
judge  of  thefe,  except  they  will  blindly  fubmit  to  be  gov- 
erned, by  the  ftale  wifdom  of  their  anceftors  and  the  ef- 
tablifhed  laws  of  their  country. 

Cri.— 'It  fhould  feem,  if  they  are  concerned  to  judge, 
they  are  not  lefs  concerned  to  examine  before  they  judge. 

Alc. — But  after  ail  the  examination,  and  inquiry,  that 
mortal  man  can  make  about  revealed  religion,  it  is  im- 
poflible  to  come  at  any  rational  fure  footing.  Strange 
things  are  told  us,  and  in  proof  thereof,  it  is  faid,  that 
men  have  laid  down  their  lives.  But  it  may  be  eafily 
conceived,  and  hath  been  often  known,  that  men  have 
died  for  the  fake  of  opinions,  the  belief  of  which,  v/heth- 
er  right  or  wrong,  had  once  pofleffed  their  minds. 

Cri. — I  grant  you  may  find  inftances  of  men  dying  for 
falfe  opinions  which  they  believed.  But  can  you  affign 
an  inftance  of  a  man's  dying  for  the  fake  of  an  opinion, 
which  he  did  not  believe.  This  cafe  is  inconceivable  : 
And  yet  this  muft  have  been  the  cafe,  if  the  witnefles 
of  Chrift's  miracles  and  refurre£tion  are  fuppofed  impof- 
tors. 

XXX.  There  is,  indeed,  a  deal  of  fpecious  talk  about 
faith,  founded  upon  miracles  :  But  when  I  examine  this 
matter  thoroughly,  and  trace  chriftian  faith  up  to  its  origin- 
al, I  find  it  refts  upon  much  darknefs,  and  fcruple,  and 
uncertainty.  Inftead  of  points  evident  or  agreeable  to  hu- 
man reafon,  I  find  a  wonderful  narrative  of  the  Son  of 
God  tempted  in  the  wildernefs  by  the  devil,  a  thing  ut- 
terly unaccountable,  without  any  end,  or  ufe,  or  reafon 
whatfoever.  I  meet  with  ftrange  hiftories  of  apparitions 
of  angels  and  voices  from  heaven,  with  furprifing  accounts 
of  demoniacs,  things  quite  out  of  the  road  of  common 
fenfe  or  obfervation,  with  feveral  incredible  feats,  faid  to 
have  been  done  by  divine  power,  but  more  probably  the 
inventions  of  men  :  Nor  the  lefs  likely  to  be  fo,  becaufe 


324  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VL] 

I  cannot  pretend  to  fay  with  what  view,  they  were  invent- 
ed. Defigns  deeply  laid  are  dark,  and  the  lefs  we  know, 
the  more  we  fufpecl  :  But,  admitting  them  for  true,  I 
fhall  not  allow  them  to  be  miraculous,  until  I  thoroughly 
know  the  power  of  what  are  called  fecond  caufes  and  the 
force  of  magic. 

Cri.— You  feem,  Alclphron^  to  analyfe  not  faith,  but 
infidelity,  and  trace  it  to  its  principles  ;  which,  from  your 
own  account,  I  collect  to  be  dark  and  doubtful  fcruples 
and  furmifes,  hailinefs  in  judging,  and  narrownefs  in 
thinking,  grounded  on  a  fanciful  notion,  which  over-rates 
the  little  fcantling  of  your  own  experience,  and  on  real 
ignorance  of  the  views  of  Providence,  and  of  the  quali- 
ties, operations,  and  mutual  refpeds  of  the  feveral  kinds 
of  beings,  which  are,  or  may  be,  for  ought  you  know, 
in  the  univerfe.  Thus  obfcure,  uncertain,  conceited,  and 
conje£lural  are  the  principles  of  infidelity.  Whereas,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  principles  of  faith  feem  to  me,  points 
plain  and  clear.  It  is  a  clear  point,  that  this  faith  in 
Chrift  was  fpread  abroad  throughout  the  world  foon  after 
his  death.  It  is  a  clear  point,  that  this  was  not  &St^t^ 
by  human  learning,  pohtics,  or  power.  It  is  a  clear  point, 
that  in  the  early  times  of  the  church,  there  were  feveral 
men  of  knowledge  and  integrity,  who  embraced  this  faith, 
not  from  any,  but  againfh  ail  temporal  motives.  It  is  a 
clear  point,  that,  the  nearer  they  v/ere  to  the  fountain- 
head,  the  more  opportunity  they  had  to  fatisfy  themfelves 
as  to  the  truth  of  thofe  fa6ls,  which  they  believed.  It  is 
a  clear  point,  that  the  lefs  intereft  there  was  to  pcrfuade, 
the  more  need  there  was  of  evidence  to  convince  them. 
It  is  a  clear  point,  that  they  relied  on  the  authority  of 
thofe,  who  declared  themfelves  eye-witnclTes  of  the  mira- 
cles and  refurrctlion  of  Chrift.  It  is  a  clear  point,  that 
thofe  profeffed  eye-witnefies  fuffered  much  for  this,  their 
attcftation,  and  finally  fealed  it  with  their  blood.     It  is  a 


[Dial.  VI.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         32^ 

clear  point,  that  thefe  witnefles,  weak  and  contemptible 
as  they  were,  overcame  the  world,  fpread  more  light, 
preached  purer  morals,  and  did  more  benefit  to  mankind, 
than  all  the  philofophers  and  fages  put  together.  Thefe 
points  appear  to  me  clear  and  fure,  and,  being  allowed 
fuch,  they  are  plain,  juft,  and  reafonable  motives  of  af- 
fent :  They  ftand  upon  no  fallacious  ground,  they  contain 
nothing  beyond  our  fphere,  neither  fuppofing  more  knowl- 
edge, nor  other  faculties,  than  we  are  really  mafters  of : 
And  if  they  (hould  not  be  admitted  for  morally  certain, 
as  I  believe  they  will,  by  fair  and  unprejudiced  inquirers, 
yet  the  allowing  them  to  be  only  probable,  is  fulficient  to 
ftop  the  mouth  of  an  infidel.  Thefe  plain  points,  I  fay, 
are  the  pillars  of  our  faith,  and  not  thofe  obfcure  ones,  by 
you  fuppofed,  which  are  in  truth,  the  unfound,  uncertain 
principles  of  infidelity,  to  a  rafti,  prejudiced,  and  aflum- 
ing  fpirit.  To  raife  an  argument,  or  anfwer  an  objedlion, 
from  hidden  powers  of  nature  or  magic,  is  groping  in 
the  dark  :  But  by  the  evident  light  of  fenfe,  men  might 
be  fufficiently  certified  of  fenfible  efFe^ls,  and  matters  of 
fact,  fuch  as  the  miracles  and  refurreflion  of  Chrifi:  :  And 
the  teilimony  of  fuch  men  might  be  tranfmitted  to  after- 
ages,  with  the  fame  moral  certainty,  as  other  hiftorlcal 
narrations  :  And  thofe  fame  miraculous  fa^ls,  compared 
by  reafon  with  the  doftrines  they  were  brought  to  prove, 
may  afford  to  an  unbiaiTed  mind,  ftrong  indications  of  their 
coming  from  God,  or  a  fuperior  principle,  whofe  good- 
nefs  retrieved  the  moral  world,  whofe  power  commanded 
the  natural,  and  whofe  Povidence  extended  over  both. — 
Give  me  leave  to  fay,  tiiat  nothing  dark,  nothing  incom- 
prehenfible,  or  myfterious,  or  unaccountable,  is  the  ground 
or  motive,  the  principle  or  foundation,  the  proof  or  rea- 
fon of  our  faith,  although  it  may  be  the  objeft  of  it. 
For  it  muft  be  owned,  that,  if  by  clear  and  fure  princi- 
ples, we  are  rationally  led  to  believe  a  point  lefs  clear  j  we 


325         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.    [Dial.  VI] 

do  not,  therefore,  rejeft  fuch  point,  becaiife  it  is  myfte- 
rious  to  conceive,  or  difficult  to  account  for  j  nor  would 
it  be  right  fo  to  do.  As  for  Jews  and  Gentiles^  ancient- 
ly attributing  our  Saviour's  miracles  to  magic,  this  is  fo 
far  from  being  a  proof  againft  them,  that  to  me  it  feems, 
rather  a  proof  of  the  fa<3:s,  without  difproving  the  caufe 
to  which  we  afcribe  them.  As  we  do  not  pretend 
to  know  the  nature  and  operations  of  demons,  the 
hiftory,  laws,  and  fyftem  of  rational  beings,  and  the 
fchemes  or  views  of  Providence,  fo  far  as  to  account  for 
every  a£lion  and  appearance,  recorded  in  the  gofpel  :  So 
neither  do  you  know  enough  of  thofe  things,  to  be  able 
from  that  knowledge  of  yours,  to  Gbje£l  againft  accounts 
fo  well  attefted.  It  is  an  eafy  matter  to  raife  fcruples 
upon  many  authentic  parts  of  civil  hiftory,  which,  requir- 
ing a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  fa6ts,  circumftances, 
and  councils,  than  we  can  come  at  to  explain  them,  muft 
be  to  us  inexplicable.  And  this  is  ftill  more  eafy,  with 
refpe£l  to  the  hiftory  of  nature ;  in  which,  if  furmifes 
were  admitted  for  proofs  againft  things  odd,  ftrange,  and 
unaccountable ;  if  our  fcanty  experience  were  made  the 
rule  and  meafure  of  truth,  and  all  thofe  phenomena  re- 
jected, that  we,  through  ignorance  of  the  principles, 
and  laws,  and  fyftem  of  nature,  could  not  explain  ;  we 
fhould  indeed  make  difcoveries,  but  it  would  be  only  of  our 
own  blindnefs  and  prefumption.  And  why,  that  men 
are  fo  eafily  and  fo  often  gravelled  in  common  points,  in 
things  natural  and  vifible,  fhould  yet  be  fo  (harp-fighted 
and  dogmatical  about  the  invifiblc  world,  and  its  myfte- 
ries,  is  to  me  a  point  utterly  unaccountable  by  all  the 
rules  of  logic  and  good  fenfe.  Upon  the  whole,  there- 
fore, I  cannot  help  thinking  that  there  are  points,  fufli- 
ciently  plain,  and  clear,  and  full,  whereon  a  man  may 
ground  a  reafonable  faith  in  Chrift  :  But  that  the  attacks 
of  Minute  Philofophers,  againft  this  faith,  are  grounded 
upon  darknefs,  ignorance  and  prefumption. 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  327 

Alc. — I  doubt  I  (hall  ftill  remain  In  the  dark,  as  to  the, 
proofs  of  the  chriftian  religion,  and  always  prefume  there 
is  nothing  in  them. 

XXXI.  For  how  is  It  poflible,  at  this  remote  diflance,. 
to  arrive  at  any  knowledge,  or  frame  any  demonftratlon 
about  it  ? 

Cri. — What  then  ?  Knowledge,  I  grant,  in  a  ftri6t 
fenfe,  cannot  be  had  without  evidence,  or  demonftra- 
tlon :  but  probable  arguments  are  a  fufficient  ground  of 
faith.  Who  ever  fuppofed  that  fcientifical  proofs  arc 
neceflary  to  make  a  chriftian  ^  Faith  alone  is  required, 
and,  provided  that,  in  the  main,  and  upon  the  whole, 
men  are  perfuaded,  this  faving  faith  may  confift  with 
fome  degrees  of  obfcurity,  fcruple,  and  error.  For,  al- 
though the  light  of  truth  be  unchangeable,  and  the  fame 
in  its  eternal  fource,  the  father  of  lights  :  Yet,  with 
refpe£t  to  us,  it  is  varioufly  weakened  and  obfcured,  by 
palling  through  a  long  diftance,  or  grofs  medium,  where 
it  is  intercepted,  diftorted,  or  tinctured  by  the  prejudi- 
ces and  pafTions  of  men.  But,  all  this,  notwithftanding, 
he  that  will  ufe  his  eyes,  may  fee  enough  for  the  pur- 
pofes,  either  of  nature  or  of  grace  ;  though  by  a  light 
dimmer  indeed,  or  clearer,  according  to  the  place,  or  the 
diftance,  or  the  hour,  or  the  medium.  And  it  will  be 
fufficient,  if  fuch  analogy  appears  between  the  difpenfa- 
tions  of  grace  and  nature,  as  may  make  it  probable 
(although  much  ftiould  be  unaccountable  in  both)  to  fup- 
pofe  them  derived  from  the  fame  author,  and  the  work- 
manfhlp  of  one,  and  the  fame  hand. 

Alc. — Thofe  who  faw,  and  touched,  and  handled 
y^fus  ChriJ}  after  his  refurre6tion,  if  there  were  any  fuch, 
may  be  faid  to  have  feen  by  a  clear  light :  But  to  us,  the 
light  is  very  dim,  and  yet  it  is  expe6ted  we  fhould  believe 
this  point  as  well  as  they.     For  my  part,  I  believe  with 


328  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

Spimfa,  that  Chrift's  death  was  literal,  but  his  refurrec- 
rion  allegorical.  * 

Cri. — And  for  my  part,  I  can  fee  nothing  in  this  cel- 
ebrated infidel,  that  (hould  make  me  defert  matters  of  fa£^, 
and  moral  evidence,  to  adopt  his  notions.  Though  I  muft 
needs  own,  I  admit  an  allegorical  refurrre£i:ion,  that 
proves  the  real :  to  wit,  a  refurrei^ion  of  Chrift's  difcl- 
ples  from  weaknefs  to  refolution,  from  fear  to  courage, 
from  defpair  to  hope  :  of  v/hich,  for  ought  I  can  fee,  no 
rational  account  can  be  given,  but  the  fenfible  evidence, 
that  our  Lord  was  truly,  really,  and  literally  rifen  from 
the  dead :  But  as  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  his  difciples, 
who  were  eye-witnefles  of  his  miracles  and  refurredlion, 
had  ftronger  evidence  than  we  can  have  of  thefe  points : 
So  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  fuch  evidence  was  then  more 
neceflary,  to  induce  men  to  embrace  a  new  inftitution, 
contrary  to  the  whole  fyftem  of  their  education,  their 
prejudices,  their  paflions,  their  interefts,  and  every  hu- 
man motive.  Though  to  me  it  feems,  the  moral  evidence 
and  probable  arguments  within  our  reach,  are  abundantly 
fufficient  to  make  prudent,  thinking  men,  adhere  to  the 
faith,  handed  down  to  us  from  our  anceftors,  eflabliflied 
by  the  laws  of  our  country,  requiring  fubmiffion  in  points 
above  our  knowledge,  and  for  the  reft,  recommending 
do£lrlnes,  the  moft  agreeable  to  our  intcreft,  and  our 
reafon.  And,  however  ftrong  the  light  might  have  been 
at  the  fountain-head,  yet  its  long  continuance  and  propa- 
gation, by  fuch  unpromifing  inftruments  throughout  the 
world,  have  been  very  wonderful.  We  may  now  take  a 
more  comprehenfive  view  of  the  connexion,  order,  and 
progrefs  of  the  divine  difpenfations,  and  by  a  retrofpedi 
on  a  long  feries  of  paft  ages,  perceive  a  unity  of  defign, 
running  throughout  the  whole,  a  gradual  difclofing,  and 
fufilling  the  purpofes  of  Providence,  a  regular  progrefs 

•  Vid-  Spinofse  Epill.  ad  Oldenburgiuqn, 


[Dial.  VI.]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  329 

from  types  to  anti-types,  from  things  carnal  to  things 
fpiritual,  from  earth  to  heaven.  We  may  behold  Chrill 
crucified,  that  ftumbling-block  to  the  Jeivs,  and  fooliih- 
nefs  to  the  Greeks,  putting  a  final  period  to  the  temple 
yrorfhip  of  the  one,  and  idolatry  of  the  other,  and  that 
iione,  which  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands, 
and  brake  in  pieces  all  other  kingdoms,  become  itfelf  a 
great  mountain. 

XXXII.  If  a  due  reflexion  on  thefe  things  be  not  fuf- 
ficient  to  beget  a  reverence  for  the  chriftian  faith  in  the 
minds  of  men,  I  (hould  rather  impute  it  to  any  other 
caufc,  than  a  wife  and  cautious  incredulity  :  When  I  fee 
their  eafinefs  of  faith  in  the  common  concerns  of  life, 
where  there  is  no  prejudice  or  appetite  to  bias  or  difturb 
their  natural  judgment :  When  I  fee  thofe  very  men  that, 
in  religion,  will  not  ftir  a  ftep  without  evidence,  and  at 
every  turn  expecb  demonilratlon,  truft  their  health  to  a 
phyfician,  and  their  lives  to  a  failor,  with  an  implicit  faith, 
I  cannot  think  they  deferve  the  honor  of  being  thought 
more  incredulous  than  other  men  :  Or  that  they  are  more 
accuftomed  to  know,  and  for  this  reafon  lefs  inclied  to 
believe.  Qn  the  contrary,  one  is  tempted  to  fufpedl,  that 
ignorance  hath  a  greater  fliare  than  fcience  in  our  modern 
infidelity  :  And  that  it  proceeds  more  from  a  wrong  head, 
or  an  irregular  will,  than  from  deep  refearches. 

Lys. — We  do  not,  it  muft  be  owned,  think  that  learn- 
ing, or  deep  refearches,  are  neceflary  to  pafs  a  right  judg- 
ment upon  things.  I  fometimes  fufpe6t  that  learning  is 
apt  to  produce  and  juftify  whims,  and  fincerely  believe 
we  (hould  do  better  without  it.  Our  fe£l  are  divided  on 
this  point,  but  much  the  greater  part  think  with  me.  I 
have  heard  more  than  once,  very  obferving  men  remark, 
that  learning  was  the  true  human  means  which  prefervcd 
religion  in  the  world  :  And  that,  if  we  had  it  in  our  power 
to  prefer  blockheads  in  the  church,  all  would  fbon  be  right. 

S  s 


330  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

Cri. — Men  muft  be  ftrangely  in  love  with  their  opin- 
ions, to  put  out  their  eyes  rather  than  part  with  them. 
But  it  has  been  often  remarked  by  obferving  men,  that 
there  are  no  greater  bigots  than  infidels. 

Lys. — What  !    A  free-thinker,  and  a  bigot,  impoffible  ! 

Cri. — Not  fo  impoffible  neither,  that  an  infidel  ftiould 
be  bigoted  to  his  infidelity.  Mcthinks  I  fee  a  bigot, 
wherever  I  fee  a  man  over-bearing,  and  pofitive  without 
knowing  why,  laying  the  greateft  ftrefs  on  points  of  fmall- 
eft  moment,  hafty  to  judge  of  the  confcience,  thoughts, 
and  inward  views  of  other  men,  impatient  of  reafoning 
againft  his  own  opinions,  and  choofing  them  with  incli- 
nation rather  than  judgment,  an  enemy  to  learning,  and 
attached  to  mean  authorities.  How  far  our  modern  infi- 
dels agree  with  this  defcription,  I  leave  to  be  confidered 
by  thofe  who  really  confider  and  think  for  themfelves. 

Lys. — We  are  no  bigots,  we  are  men  that  difcover  diffi- 
culties in  religion,  that  tie  knots  and  raife  fcruples,  which 
difturb  the  repofe,  and  interrupt  the  golden  dreams  of 
bigots,  who  therefore  cannot  endure  us. 

Cri. — They  who  call  about  for  difficulties,  will  be 
fure  to  find,  or  make  them  upon  every  fubje£l: :  But  he 
that  would,  upon  the  foot  of  reafon,  ere6l  himfelf  into 
a  judge,  in  order  to  make  a  wife  judgment  on  a  fubjedi 
of  that  nature,  will  not  only  confider  the  doubtful  and 
difficult  parts  of  it,  but  take  a  comprehenfive  view  of  the 
whole,  confider  it  in  all  its  parts  and  relations,  trace  it  to 
its  original,  examine  its  principles,  efi^edls,  and  tenden- 
cies, its  proofs  internal  and  external  :  he  will  diftinguifti 
between  the  clear  points  and  the  obfcure,  the  certain  and 
uncertain,  the  eflential  and  the  circumftantial,  between 
what  is  genuine  and  what  foreign.  He  will  confider  the 
different  forts  of  proof,  that  belong  to  different  tilings  : 
where  evidence  is  to  be  expected  :  Where  probability  may 
fuffice  ;  And  where  it  is  reafonable  to  fuppofe  there  fliould 


[Dial.  VI.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  331 

be  doubts  and  fcruples.  He  will  proportion  his  pains  and 
exa^lnefs  to  the  importance  of  the  inquiry,  and  check 
that  difpofition  of  his  mind  to  conclude  all  thofe  notions, 
groundlefs  prejudices,  with  which  it  was  imbued  before 
it  knew  the  reafon  of  them.  He  will  filence  his  paflions, 
and  liften  to  truth.  He  will  endeavor  to  untie  knots  as 
well  as  to  tie  them,  and  dwell  rather  on  tlie  light  parts  of 
things,  than  the  obfcure.  He  will  balance  the  force  of 
his  underftanding  with  the  difficulty  of  the  fubjeft,  and 
to  render  his  judgment  impartial,  hear  evidence  on  all 
fides,  and  fo  far  as  he  is  led  by  authority,  choofe  to  follow 
that  of  the  honeftcft  and  wifeft  men.  Now  it  is  my  fin- 
cere  opinion,  the  chriftian  religion  may  well  ftand  the 
teft  of  fuch  an  inquiry. 

Lys. — But  fuch  an  inquiry  would  coft  too  much  pains 
and  time.  We  have  thought  of  another  method,  the 
bringing  religion  to  the  teft  of  wit  and  hum^our  :  This  v^ 
find  a  much  fliorter,  eafier,  and  more  effe£lual  way> 
And,  as  all  enemies  are  at  liberty  to  choofe  their  weapons, 
we  make  choice  of  thofe  we  are  moft  expert  at :  And  we 
are  the  better  pleafed  with  this  choice,  having  obferved 
that  of  all  things,  a  foiid  divine  hates  a  jeft. 

EuPH. — To  confider  the  whole  of  the  fubjecl,  to  read 
and  think  on  all  fides,  to  object  plainly,  and  anfwer  di- 
redtly,  upon  the  foot  of  dry  reafon  and  argument,  would 
be  a  very  tedious  and  troublefome  affair.  Befides  it  is  at- 
tacking pedants  at  their  ov/n  weapons.  How  much  more 
delicate  and  artful  is  it,  to  give  a  hint  to  cover  one's  felf, 
with  an  ssnigma,  to  drop  a  double  entendre^  to  keep  it  in 
one's  power  to  recover,  and  flip  afide,  and  leave  his  an- 
tagonift  beating  the  air  ? 

Lys. — This  hath  been  pra<£lifed  with  great  fuccefs,  and 
I  believe  it  the  top  method  to  gain  profelytes,  and  con- 
found pedants* 


332  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VI.] 

Cri. — I  have  feen  feveral  things  written  in  this  way, 
which,  I  fuppofe,  were  copied  from  the  behavior  of  a  fly 
fort  of  fcorners,  one  may  fometimes  meet  with.  Sup- 
pofe  a  conceited  man  that  would  pafs  for  witty,  tipping 
the  wink  upon  one,  thrufting  out  his  tongue  at  another ; 
one  while  waggiftily  fmiling,  another  with  a  grave  mouth 
and  ludicrous  eyes ;  often  affecting  the  countenance  of 
one  who  fmothered  a  jeft,  and  fometimes  biirfting  out  in 
a  horfe-laugh :  What  a  figure  would  this  be,  I  will  not 
fay  in  the  fenate  or  council,  but  in  a  private  vifit  among 
well-bred  men  ?  And  yet  this  is  the  figure  that  certain  great 
authors,  who  in  this  age,  would  pafs  for  models,  and  do 
pafs  for  models,  make  in  their  polite  and  elaborate  writings 
on  the  .moft  weighty  points. 

Alc. — I,  wh6  profefs  myfelf  an  admirer,  an  adorer 
of  reafon,  am  neverthelefs  obliged  to  own,  that  in  fome 
cafes,  the  fharpnefs  of  ridicule  can  do  more  than  the 
ftrength  of  argument.  But  if  we  exert  ourfelves  in  the 
ufe  of  mirth  and  humor,  it  is  not  for  want  of  other  wea- 
pons. It  fhall  never  be  faid,  that  a  free-thinker  was  afraid 
of  reafoning.  No  Critoy  we  have  reafons  in  flore  :  The 
beft  are  yet  to  come.:  And  if  we  can  find  an  hour  for  an- 
other conference  before  we  fet  out  to-morrow  morning, 
I'll  undertake  you  (hall  be  plied  with  reafons,  as  clear, 
and  home,  and  clofe  to  the  point  as  you  could  wi(h. 


<  '.■■■■OOiZX'A 


THE 

SEVENTH     DIALOGUE. 

I.    Chnjiian  Faith  impojftble.      II.    Words  Jland  for  Ideas, 
III.   No  Knowledge  or  Faith  ivithout  Ideas.      IV.   Gracey 
no  Idea  of  it.      V.    Suggefing   Ideas  not  the  only  life  of 
Words.      VI.   Force  as  dijicult  to  form   an   Idea  of  as 
Grace.      VII.   Notwithjlanding  whichy  ufeful  Propofttions 
may  he  formed  concernijig  it.      VIII.   Belief  of  the  Trini^ 
ty  and  other  Myfieries    not  abfurd.      IX.   Miflakes  about 
Faith  an  Occafton  of  profane  Raillery.     X.   Faithy  its  true 
Nature  and  Efe5is.      XI.   Illujlrated  by  Science.      XII. 
By  Arithmetic  in  particular.      XIII.   Sciences  converfant 
about   Signs.      XIV.    The  true   End  of  Speech,   Reafony 
Science,    and   Faith.      XV.    Metaphyftcal    ObjeElions    as 
Jlrong  againfl  Human  Sciences  as  Articles  of  Faith.      XVI. 
No  Religion y   becaufe  no  Human  Liberty .      XVII.   Farther 
Proof  againfl  Human  Liberty.      XVIII.   Fatalifm  a  Con- 
fequence   of   erroneous  Suppofttions'.      XIX.   Man  an   ac^ 
countable   Agent.      XX.     Inconftflency,    Singularityy    and 
Credulity  of  Minute  Philofophers.      XXI.    Untroden  Paths 
and  new  Light  of  the  Minute  Philofophers.      XXII.    So- 
phiflry  of  the  Minute  Philofophers.      XXIII.   Minute  Phi- 
lofophers  ambiguous ,  enigmatical y  unfathomable.      XXIV. 
Scepticifm  of  the   Minute  Philofophers.      XXV.   How  a 
Sceptic   ought  to  behave.      XXVI.   Minute  Philofophers, 
^hy  difficult  to  convince.      XXVII.    Thinking,   not  the  ep- 

,  idemical  Evilof  thefe  times.  XXVIII.  Infidelity y  not  an 
EffeB  of  Reafon  or  Thought,  its  true  Motives  affigned. 
XXIX.  Variety  of  Opinions  about  ReligioUy  EffeBs  there* 
of  XXX.  Method  for  proceeding  with  Minute  Philofo- 
phers. XXXI.  Wa7it  of  Thought,  and  want  of  Educa^ 
tion,  DefeBs  of  the  prefent  Age, 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         33^ 


^T. 


HE  philofophers  having  refolved  to  fet  out  for 
London  next  morning,  we  aflenibled  at  break  of  day  in 
the  library.  Alciphron  began  with  a  declaration  of  his 
fincerity,  affuring  us,  he  had  very  maturely  and  with  a 
moft  unbiafTed  mind  confidered  all  that  had  been  faid,  the 
day  before.  He  added  that,  upon  the  whole,  he  could 
not  deny  feveral  probable  reafons  were  produced  for  em- 
bracing the  chriftian  faith.  But,  faid  he,  thofe  reafons 
being  only  probable  can  never  prevail  againft  abfolute  cer- 
tainty and  demonflration.  If  therefore,  I  can  demon- 
strate your  religion  to  be  a  thing  altogether  abfurd  and  in- 
confiftent,  your  probable  arguments  in  its  defence  do,  from 
that  moment,  lofe  their  force,  and  with  it,  all  right  to  be 
anfwered  or  confidered.  The  concurring  teftimony  of 
fmcere  and  able  witnefles  hath,  without  queftion,  great 
weight  in  human  affairs.  I  will  even  grant,  that  things 
odd  and  unaccountable  to  human  judgment  or  experience, 
may  fometimes  claim  our  aflent  on  that  fole  motive. — 
And  I  will  alfo  grant  it  poflible,  for  a  tradition  to  be  con- 
veyed with  moral  evidence  through  many  centuries.  But 
at  the  fame  time,  you  will  grant  to  me,  that  a  thing  de- 
monftrably  an,d  palpably  falfe,  is  not  to  be  admitted  on  any 
teftimony  v/hatever,  which  at  beft  can  never  amount  to 
demonft ration.  To  be  plain,  no  teftimony  can  make 
nonfenfe  fenfe  :  No  moral  evidence  can  make  contradic- 
tions confiftent.  Know  then,  that  as  the  ftrength  of  our 
caufe  doth  not  depend  upon,  fo  neither  is  it  to  be  deci- 
ded by  any  critical  points  of  hiftory,  chronology,  or  lan- 
guages. You  are  not  to  wonder,  if  the  fame  fort  of 
tradition  and  moral  proof,  which  governs  our  aflent  with" 
refpe£l  to  fa6ls  in  civil  or  natural  hiftory  is  not  admitted 
as  a  fufEcient  voucher  for  metaphyfical  abfurdities  and  ab- 
folute impoflibilitles.  Things  obfcure  and  unaccountable 
in  human  affairs,  or  the  operations  of  nature,  may  yet 


336         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

be  poflible,  and,  if  well  attefted,  may  be  aflented  unto : 
But  religious  affent,  or  faith,  can  be  evidently  fhewn  in  its 
own  nature  to  be  impradicablc,  impoflible,  and  abfurd. 
This  is  the  primary  motive  to  infidelity.  This  is  our  cita- 
del and  fortrefs,  which  may,  indeed,  be  graced  with  out- 
works of  various  erudition,  but,  if  thofe  are  demoliftied, 
remains  in  itfelf,  and  of  its  own  proper  ftrength  impreg- 
nable. 

EuPH, — This,  it  muft  be  owned,  reduceth  our  inquiry 
within  a  narrow  compafs  :  Do  but  make  out  this,  and  I 
{hall  have  nothing  more  to  fay. 

Alc— Know  then,  that  the  (hallow  mind  of  the  vul- 
gar, as  it  dwells  only  on  the  outward  furface  of  things, 
and  confiders  them  in  the  grofs,  may  be  eafily  impofed  on. 
Hence  a  blind  reverence  for  religious  faith  and  myftery. 
But  when  an  acute  philofopher  comes  to  difle£l  and  analyfe 
thefe  points,  the  impofture  plainly  appears  :  And  as  he 
has  no  blindnefs,  fo  he  has  no  reverence  for  empty  no- 
tions, or,  to  fpeak  more  properly,  for  mere  forms  of 
fpeech,  which  mean  nothing,  and  are  of  no  ufe  to  man- 
kind. 

II.  Words  are  figns  :  They  do  or  (hould  ftand  for  ideas ; 
which  fo  far  as  they  fuggeft  they  are  fignificant.  But 
words  that  fuggeft  no  ideas  are  infignificant.  He  who  an- 
nexeth  a  clear  idea  to  every  word  he  makes  ufe  of,  fpeaks 
fenfe  :  But  where  fuch  ideas  are  wanting,  the  fpeaker  ut- 
ters nonfenfe.  In  order,  therefore,  to  know  whether  any 
man's  fpeech  be  fenfelefs  and  infignificant,  we  have  no- 
thing to  do  but  lay  afide  the  words  and  confider  the  ideas 
fuggefted  by  them.  Men,  not  being  able  immediately  to 
communicate  their  ideas  one  to  another,  are  obliged  to 
make  ufe  of  fenfible  figns,  or  words  ;  the  ufe  of  which  is 
to  raife  thofe  ideas  in  the  hearer,  which  are  in  the  mind 
of  the  fpeaker  :  And  if  they  fail  of  this  end,  they  fcrve  to 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         337 

no  purpofe.  He,  who  really  thinks  hath  a  train  of  ideas 
fucceeding  each  other  and  connefted  in  his  mind  :  And 
when  he  expreffeth  himfelf  by  difcourfe,  each  word  fug- 
gefts  a  diftin^l  idea  to  the  hearer  or  reader  j  who  by  that 
means  hath  the  fame  train  of  ideas  in  his,  which  was  in 
the  mind  of  the  fpeaker  or  writer.  As  far  as  this  efFecSl  is 
produced,  fo  far  the  difcourfe  is  intelligible,  hath  fenfe 
and  meaning.  Hence  it  follows,  that  whoever  can  be 
fuppofed  to  underlland  what  he  reads  or  hears,  mud  have 
a  train  of  ideas  raifed  in  his  mind,  correfpondent  to  the 
train  of  words  read  or  heard.  Thefe  plain  truths,  to 
which  men  readily  aflent  in  theory,  are  but  little  attended 
to  in  pra£tice,  and  therefore  deferve  to  be  enlarged  on, 
and  inculcated  however  obvious  and  undeniable.  Man- 
kind are  generally  averfe  from  thinking,  though  apt  enough 
to  entertain  difcourfe  either  in  themfelves  or  others  :  The 
€fFe£l:  whereof  is,  that  their  minds  are  rather  ftored  with 
names  than  ideas,  the  hulk  of  fcience  rather  than  the 
thing.  And  yet  thefe  words  without  meaning  do  often 
make  diftin£lions  of  parties,  the  fubje£l;  matter  of  their 
difputes,  and  the  object  of  their  zeal.  This  is  the  mofl 
general  caufe  of  error,  which  doth  not  influence  ordina- 
ry minds  alone,  but  even  thofe  who  pafs  for  acute  and 
learned  philofophers,  arc  often  employed  about  names  in- 
ftead  of  things  or  ideas,  and  are  fuppofed  to  know  when 
they  only  pronounce  hard  words,  without  a  meaning. 

III.  Though  it  is  evident  that,  as  knowledge  is  the  per- 
ception of  the  connexion  or  difagreement  between  ideas, 
he  who  doth  not  dillindlly  perceive  the  ideas  marked  by 
the  terms,  fo  as  to  form  a  mental  propofition  anfwering  to 
the  verbal,  cannot  pofTibly  have  knowledge  :  No  more 
can  he  be  faid  to  have  opinion  or  faith  which  imply  a  weaker 
aflent,  but  ftill  it  mufi:  be  to  a  propofition,  the  terms  of 
which,  are  underftood  as  clearly,  although  the  agreement 
T  t 


338         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

or  difagrecment  of  the  ideas  may  not  be  fo  evident,  as  in 
the  cafe  of  knowledge.  I  fay,  all  degrees  of  affcnt 
whether  founded  on  reafon  or  authority,  more  or  lefs  co- 
gent, are  internal  a£l:s  of  the  mind,  which  alike  terminate 
in  ideas  as  their  proper  obje6i;  :  Without  which  there  can 
be  really  no  fuch  thing  as  knowledge,  faith,  or  opinion. 
We  may  perhaps  raife  a  dull  and  difpute  about  tenets 
purely  verbal :  But  what  is  this  at  bottom,  more  than 
mere  trifling  ?  All  which  will  be  eafily  admitted  with  ref- 
pe£t  to  human  learning  and  fcience  ;  wherein  it  is  an  al- 
lowed method  to  expofe  any  doctrine  or  tenet,  by  flrip- 
ping  them  of  the  words,  and  examining  what  ideas  are 
underneath,  or  whether  any  ideas  at  all  ?  This  is  often 
found  the  (horteft  way  to  end  difputes,  which  might  oth- 
erv/ife  grow,  and  multiply  without  end,  the  litigants  nei- 
ther underftanding  one  another  nor  themfelves.  It  were 
needlefs  to  illuftrate  what  (hines  by  its  own  light,  and  is  ad- 
mitted by  all  thinking  men.  My  endeavor  (hall  be  only 
to  apply  it  in  the  prefent  cafe.  I  fuppofe  I  need  not  be  at 
any  pains  to  prove,  that  the  fame  rules  of  reafon  and  good 
fenfe,  which  obtain  in  all  other  fubje6ts,  ought  to  take 
place  in  religion.  As  for  thofe,  who  confider  faith  and 
reafon  as  two  di{lin£i:  provinces,  and  would  have  us  think 
good  fenfe  has  nothing  to  do  where  it  is  moil  concerned, 
I  am  refolved  never  to  argue  with  fuch  men,  but  leave 
them  in  quiet  poireffion  of  their  prejudices.  And  now,  for 
the  particular  application  of  what  I  have  faid,  I  fhall  not 
fingle  out  any  nice  difputed  points  of  fchool  divinity,  or 
thofe  that  relate  to  the  nature  and  eflence  of  God,  which 
being  allowed  infinite  you  might  pretend  to  fcreen  them, 
under  the  general  notion  of  difficulties  attending  the  na- 
ture of  infinity. 

IV.   Grace  is  the  main  point  in  the  chriftian  dlfpenfa- 
tion,   nothing  is  oftner  mentioned  or  more  confidered 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  339 

throughout  the  New  Teftament ;  wherein  it  is  reprefent- 
ed  as  fomewhat  of  a  very  particular  kind,  diflin£t  from 
any  thing  revealed  to  the  Jenvs^  or  known  by  the  light  of 
nature.  This  fame  grace  is  fpoken  of,  as  the  gift  of  God, 
as  coming  by  Jefus  Chrift^  as  reigning,  as  abounding,  as 
operating.  Men  are  faid  to  fpeak  through  grace,  to  be- 
lieve through  grace.  Mention  is  made  of  the  glory  of 
grace,  the  riches  of  grace,  the  ftewards  of  grace.  Chrif- 
tians  are  faid  to  be  heirs  of  grace,  to  receive  grace,  grow 
in  grace,  be  ftrong  in  grace,  to  ftand  in  grace,  and  to 
fall  from  grace.  And  laftly,  grace  is  faid  to  juftify,  and 
to  fave  them.  Hence  chriftianity  is  ftiled  the  covenant 
or  difpenfation  of  grace.  And  it  is  well  known,  that  no 
point  hath  created  more  controverfy  in  the  church,  than 
this  do(3:rine  of  grace.  What  difputes  about  its  nature, 
extent,  and  efFefbs,  about  univerfal,  efficacious,  fufiicient, 
preventing,  irrefillible  grace,  have  employed  the  pens  of 
proteftant  as  well  as  popifh  divines,  of  Janfemjls  and  Mo" 
linijis,  of  Lutheransy  Calvinijtsy  and  Arminiansy  as  I  have 
not  the  lead  curiofity  to  know,  fo  I  need  not  fay.  It  fuf- 
ficeth  to  obferve,  that  there  have  been,  and  are  flill  fub- 
fifting  great  contefts  upon  thefe  points.  Only  one  thing 
I  (hould  defire  to  be  i»formed  of,  to  wit,  what  is  the  clear 
and  diftin£t  idea  marked  by  the  word  grace  ?  I  pre- 
fume  a  man  may  know  the  bare  meaning  of  .a  term,  with- 
out going  into  the  depth  of  all  thofe  learned  inquiries. 
This  furely  is  an  eafy  matter,  provided  there  is  an  idea  an- 
nexed to  fuch  term.  And  if  there  is  not,  it  can  be  nei- 
ther the  fubje^t  of  a  rational  difpute,  nor  the  object  of 
real  faith.  Men  may  indeed  impofe  upon  themfelves  or 
others,  and  pretend  to  argue  and  believe,  when  at  bottom 
there  is  no  argument  or  belief,  farther  than  mere  verbal 
trifling.  Grace  taken  in  the  vulgar  fenfe,  either  for  beau- 
ty, or  favor,  I  can  eafily  underftand.     But  when  it  de- 


340         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

notes  an  ad^Ive,  vital,  ruling  principle,  influencing  and  ope- 
rating on  the  mind  of  man,  diftin<3:  from  every  natural 
power  or  motive,  I  profefs  myfelf  ajtogether  unable  to 
underftand  it,  or  frame  any  diftincSl  idea  of  it :  And, 
therefore,  I  cannot  aflent  to  any  propofition  concerning 
it,  nor  confequently  have  any  faith  about  it :  And  it  is  a 
felf-evident  truth,  that  God  obligeth  no  man  to  impolTibil- 
ities.  At  the  requeft  of  a  philofophical  friend,  I  did  caft 
an  eye  on  the  writings  he  (hewed  me  of  fome  divines, 
and  talked  with  others,  on  this  fubje6l,  but  after  all  I  had 
read  or  heard,  could  make  nothing  of  it,  having  always 
found,  whenever  I  laid  afidc  the  v/ord  grace,  and  looked 
into  my  own  mind,  a  perfeft  vacuity  or  privation  of  all  ideas* 
And,  as  I  am  apt  to  think  men's  minds  and  faculties  arc 
made  much  alike,  I  fufpeft  that  other  men,  if  they 
examined  what  they  call  grace,  with  the  fame  exa£i;nefs 
and  indifference,  would  agree  with  me,  that  there  was 
nothing  in  it  but  an  empty  name.  This  is  not  the  only 
inftance,  where  a  word  often  heard  and  pronounced,  is 
believed  intelligible,  for  no  other  reafon  but  becaufe  it  is 
familiar.  Of  the  fame  kind  are  many  other  points  reput- 
ed neceflary  articles  of  faith.  That  which  in  the  prefent 
cafe  impofeth  upon  mankind,  I  take  to  be  partly  this. 
Men  fpeak  of  this  holy  principle,  as  of  fomething  that 
a£l:s,  moves,  and  determines,  taking  their  ideas  from  cor- 
poreal things,  from  motion,  and  the  force  or  Momentum 
of  bodies,  which  being  of  an  obvious  and  fenfible  nature 
they  fubftitute  in  place  of  a  thing  fpiritual,  and  incompre- 
henfible,  which  is  a  manifefl  delufion.  For  though,  the 
idea  of  corporeal  force  be  ever  fo  clear  and  intelligible, 
it  will  not,  therefore,  follow,  that  the  idea  of  grace,  a 
thing  perfectly  incorporeal,  muft  be  fo  too.  And  though, 
"we  may  reafon  diftin6:ly,  perceive,  aflent,  and  form  opin- 
ions about  the  one,  it  will  by  no  means  follow  that  we 
can  do  fo  of  the  other.     Thus   it  comes  to  pafs,  that  a 


[Dial.  VU.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  341 

clear  fenfible  idea  of  what  is  real,  produceth,  or  ra  ther 
is  made  a  pretence  for  an  imaginary,  fpiritual  faith,  that 
terminates  in  no  obje£t ;  a  thing  impoflible  !  For  there 
can  be  no  aflent,  where  there  are  no  ideas  :  And  where 
there  is  no  aflent,  there  can  be  no  faith :  And  what  can- 
not be,  that  no  man  is  obliged  to.  This  is  as  clear  as  any 
thing  in  Euclid. 

V.  EuPH.— Be  the  ufe  of  words  or  names,  what  it 
will,  I  can  never  think  it  is  to  do  things  impoflible.  Let 
us  then  inquire  what  it  is  ?  And  fee  if  we  can  make  fenfe 
of  our  daily  practice.  Words,  it  is  agreed,  are  figns  : 
It  may  not,  therefore,  be  amifs  to  examine  the  ufe  of  oth- 
er figns,  in  order  to  know  that  of  words.  Counters,  for 
infl:ance,  at  a  card-table  are  ufed,  not  for  their  own  fake, 
but  only  as  figns  fubfl:ituted  for  money,  as  words  are  for 
ideas.  Say  now,  Alciphrotiy  is  it  necefl^ary  every  time 
thefe  counters  are  ufed,  throughout  the  whole  progrefs  of 
a  game,  to  frame  an  idea  of  the  dift;in<St  fum  or  value, 
that  each  reprefents  ? 

Alc. — By  no  means  :  It  is  fuflicient,  the  players  at 
firfl:  agree  on  their  refpe^tive  values,  and  at  lafl  fubfl:itute 
thofe  values  in  their  fl:ead. 

EuPH. — And  in  cafl;ing  up  a  fum,  where  the  figures 
Hand  for  pounds,  {hillings,  and  pence,  do  you  think  it 
neceflary,  throughout  the  whole  progrefs  of  the  operation, 
in  each  flep,  to  form  ideas  of  pounds,  {hillings,  and 
pence  ? 

Alc. — I  do  not,  it  will  fuffice,  if  in  the  conclufion, 
thofe  figures  direct  our  a£l:ions  with  refpect  to  things. 

EuPH. — From  hence,  it  feems  to  follow,  that  words 
may  not  be  infignificant,  although  they  fliould  not  every 
time  they  are  ufed,  excite  the  ideas  they  fignify  in  our 
minds,  it  being  fuflicient,  that  we  have  it  in  our  power 
to  fubftitute  things  or  ideas  for  their  figns  when  there  is 


34^  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

dccafion.  It  feems  alfo  to  follow,  that  there  may  be 
another  ufe  of  words,  befides  that  of  marking  and  fug- 
gelling  diftind  ideas,  to  wit,  the  influencing  our  condu£l: 
and  actions  ;  which  may  be  done,  cither  by  forming  rules 
for  us  to  a£t  by,  or  by  raifing  certain  paflions,  difpofitions, 
and  emotions  in  our  minds.  A  difcourfe,  therefore,  that 
dire(3:s  how  to  a£t,  or  excite  to  the  doing  or  forbearance 
of  an  action  may,  it  feems,  be  ufeful  and  fignificant,  al- 
though the  words  whereof  it  is  compofed,  fliould  not  bring 
each  a  diftin^b  idea  into  our  minds. 

Alc. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPH. — Pray  tell  me,  Alciphrouy  is  not  an  idea  altogeth- 
er inactive  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EupH.— An  agent,  therefore,  an  active  mind,  or  fpirit, 
cannot  be  an  idea,  or  like  an  idea.  Whence  it  fliould 
feem  to  follow,  that  thofe  words,  which  denote  an  a£tive 
principle,  foul,  or  fpirit,  do  not,  in  a  ftri£l,  and  proper 
fenfe,  ffcand  for  ideas  :  And  yet  they  are  not  infignificant 
neither  :  Since  I  under  (land  what  is  fignified  by  the  term  /, 
or  myfelfy  or  know  what  it  means,  although  it  be  no  idea, 
nor  like  an  idea,  but  that  which  thinks  and  wills,  and 
apprehends  ideas  and  operates  about  them.  Certainly  it 
muft  be  allowed  that  we  have  fome  notion,  that  we  un- 
derftand,  or  know  what  is  meant  by  the  terms  myfelf^  nvill^ 
memory^  love^  hate^  and  fo  forth,  although,  to  fpeak 
cxadly,  thefe  words  do  not  fuggefl:  fo  many  diftidl  ideas. 

Alc— What  would  you  infer  from  this  ? 

EuPH.—- What  hath  been  inferred  already,  that  words 
may  be  fignificant,  although  they  do  not  ftand  for  ideas.* 
The  contrary  whereof  having  been  prefumed,  feems  to 
have  produced  the  doctrine  of  ab{lra£l;  ideas. 

Alc. — ^Will  you  not  allow  then,  that  the  mind  can  ab- 
ftraa  ? 

*  See  the  Principles  of  Human  Knowledge.  Sed,  135.  and  the  Intro- 
iudlion.     Se6l.  %o. 


[Dial.  VIL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         343 

EupH. — I  do  not  deny  it  may  abftra£t  in  a  certain 
fenfe ;  inafmuch  as  thofe  things  that  can  really  exift,  or 
be  really  perceived  afunder,  may  be  conceived  afunder, 
or  abftradted  one  from  the  other ;  for  inftance,  a  man's 
head  from  his  body,  colour  from  motion,  figure  from 
weight.  But  it  will  not  thence  follow,  that  the  mind  can 
frame,  abftra^l  general  ideas,  which  appear  to  be  impof- 
fible. 

Alc— And  yet  It  is  a  current  opinion,  that  every  fub- 
ftantive  name  marks  out,  and  exhibits  to  the  mind,  one 
diftin6l:  idea  feparate  from  all  others. 

EuPH. — Pray,  Alciphrotty  is  not  the  word  numbery  fuch 
a  fubftantive  name  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — Do  but  try  now,  whether  you  can  frame  an 
idea  of  number,  in  abftra£t  exclufive  of  all  figns,  words, 
and  things  numbered.  I  profefs,  for  my  own  part,  I 
cannot. 

Alc. — Can  it  be  fo  hard  a  matter  to  form  a  fimple  idea 
of  number,  the  obje£l  of  a  moft  evident  demonftrable 
fcience  ^  Hold,  let  me  fee,  if  I  cannot  abftra£l  the  idea 
of  number,  from  the  numeral  names  and  characters,  and 
all  particular  numerable  things.  Upon  which,  Alciphvon 
paufed  a  while,  and  then  faid  :  To  confefs  the  truth,  I  do 
not  find  that  I  can. 

EupK. — But  though,  it  feems,  neither  you  nor  I  can 
form  diftinCt,  fimple  ideas  of  number,  we  can  neverthe- 
lefs,  make  a  very  proper  and  fignificant  ufe  of  numeral 
names.  They  diredl  us  in  the  difpofition,  and  manage- 
ment of  our  affairs,  and  are  of  fuch  neceflary  ufe,  that 
we  ftiouJd  not  know  how  to  do  without  them.  And  yet, 
if  other  men's  faculties  may  be  judged  of  by  mine,  to 
attain  a  precife,  fimple  abftradi  idea  of  number,  is  as  diffi' 
cult  as  to  comprehend  any  myftery  in  religion. 


344  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.VIL] 

VI.  But  to  come  to  your  own  inftance,  let  us  examine 
what  idea  we  can  frame  of  force  abftra<3:ed  from  body, 
motion,  and  outward  fenfible  effe£^s.  For  niyfelf,  I  do 
not  find  that  I  have  or  can  have  any  fuch  idea. 

Alc— Surely  every  one  knows  what  is  meant  by  force. 

EuPH. — And  yet  I  queftion  whether  every  one  can 
form  a  diftin£t  idea  of  force.  Let  me  intreat  you.  Aid" 
phrcn,  be  not  amufed  by  terms,  lay  afide  the  word  force^ 
and  exclude  every  other  thing  from  your  thoughts,  and 
then  fee  what  precife  idea  you  have  of  force. 

Alc. — Force  is  that  in  bodies,  which  produceth  motion 
and  other  fenfible  efFe6ls. 

EuPH. — It  is  then  fomething  diftin6l  from  thofe  effe£ls. 

Alc. — It  is. 

EupH. — Be  pleafed  now  to  exclude  the  confideration  of 
its  fubje6t  and  efFedls,  and  contemplate  force  itfelf  in  its 
own  precife  idea. 

Alc. — I  profefs  I  find  it  no  fuch  eafy  matter. 

EupH. — Take  your  own  adviccj^  and  fhut  your  eyes  to 
aflift  your  meditation.  Upon  this,  Alciphron  having  clof- 
ed  his  eyes,  and  mufed  a  few  minutes,  declared  he  could 
make  nothing  of  it.  And  that,  replied  Euphranor^  which 
it  feems  neither  you  nor  I  can  frame  an  idea  of,  by  your 
own  remark  of  men's  minds  and  faculties  being  made 
much  alike,  we  may  fuppofe  others  have  no  more  an  idea 
of  than  we. 

Alc. — We  may. 

EuPH. — But,  notwithftanding  all  this,  it  is  certain 
there  are  many  fpeculations,  reafonings,  and  difputes, 
refined  fubtilities,  and  nice  diftind^ions,  about  this  fame 
force.  And  to  explain  its  nature,  and  diftinguifh  the  fe- 
veral  notions  or  kinds  of  it,  the  terms,  gravity,  reaEiioriy 
vis  inertiay  vis  injtta,  vis  impreffa,  vis  mortua,  vis  viva, 
impetusy  momentum,  folicitatio,  conatus,  and  divers  other 
fuch  like  expreffions,  have  been  ufed  by  learned  men ; 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  34- 

and  no  fmall  controverfies  have  arifen  about  the  notions  or 
definitions  of  thefe  terms.  It  has  puzzled  men  to  know 
whether  force  is  fpiritual  or  corporeal,  whether  it  remains 
after  action,  how  it  is  transferred  from  one  body  to  ano- 
ther. Strange  paradoxes  have  been  framed  about  its  na- 
ture, properties,  and  proportions :  For  inftance,  that 
contrary  forces  may  at  once  fubfift  in  the  fame  quiefcent 
boily  :  That  the  force  of  percufTion  in  a  fmall  particle  is 
infinite  :  For  which,  and  other  curiofities  of  the  fame 
fort,  you  may  confult  Borellus  de  vi  percufflonisy  the  Lez' 
ivni  Academiche  of  Torricelli,  the  exercitatlons  of  Hermanns ^ 
and  other  writers.  It  is  well  known  to  the  learned  world, 
what  a  controverfy  hath  been  carried  on,  between  mathe- 
maticians, particularly  Monfieur  Leibnitz  and  Monfieur 
Papin  in  the  Leipfic  Acla  Eruditorum^  about  the  propor- 
tion of  forces :  Whether  they  be  each  to  other  in  a  pro- 
portion compounded  of  the  fimple  proportion  of  the  bo- 
dies and  the  celerities,  or  in  one  compounded  of  the  fimple 
proportion  of  the  bodies,  and  the  duplicate  proportions  of 
the  celerities  .''  A  point,  it  feems,  not  yet  agreed  :  As  in- 
deed the  reality  of  the  thing  itfelf  is  made  a  queftion. 
Leibnitz  diflingulllied  between  the  nifus  elementaris,  and 
the  impetus,  which  is  formed  by  a  repetition  of  the  nifus 
elementarisy  and  feems  to  think  they  do  not  exift  in  nature, 
but  are  made  only  by  an  abflra^lion  of  the  mind.  The 
fame  author,  treating  of  original,  a£live  force,  to  illuflrate 
his  fubje6l  hath  recourfe  to  the  fubftantial  forms  and  En- 
telecheia  of  Arijiotle.  And  the  ingenious  TorricelU  faith  of 
force  and  Impetus^  that  they  are  fubtile  abftra6ts  and  fpir- 
itual qulntelfences  :  And  concerning  the  momentum  and 
the  velocity  of  heavy  bodies  falling,  he  faith  they  are  un 
certo  che  and  un  non  fo  che,  that  is  plain  Englifhy  he  knows 
not  what  to  make  of  them.  Upon  the  whole,  therefore, 
may  we  not  pronounce,  that  excluding  body,  time,  fpace, 
motion,  and    all   its  fenfible  meafures,   and  efFeds,  we 

U  u 


346         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.l 

Ihall  find  it  as  difficult  to  form  an  idea  of  force,  as  of  ^ 
grace  ? 

Alc— I  do  not  know  what  to  think  of  it. 

VII.  EuPH. — And  yet,  I  prefume,  you  allow  there 
are  very  evident  propofitions  or  theorems,  relating  to  force, 
which  contain  ufeful  truths  :  for  inftance,  that  a  body 
with  conjunct  forces,  defcribes  the  diagonal  of  a, paralle- 
logram, in  the  fame  time  that  it  would  the  fides  with  fep- 
arate.  Is  not  this  a  principle  of  very  extenfive  ufe  ?  Doth 
not  the  do£lrine  of  the  compofition  and  refolution  of  for- 
ces depend  upon  it,  and  in  confequence  thereof,  number- 
lefs  rules  and  theorems,  directing  men  how  to  aO:,  and 
explaining  Phenomenay  throughout  the  mechanics  and 
mathematical  philofophy  ?  And  if,  by  confidering  this 
doctrine  of  force,  men  arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  many 
inventions  in  mechanics,  and  are  taught  to  frame  engines, 
by  means  of  which  things  difficult,  and  otherwife  impof- 
fible  may  be  performed  -,  and  if  the  fame  doctrine,  which 
is  fo  beneficial  here  below,  ferveth  alfo  as  a  key  to  difcov- 
er  the  nature  of  the  celeftial  motions ;  fhall  we  deny  that 
it  is  of  ufe,  either  in  pra6lice  or  fpeculation,  becaufe  we 
have  no  diltin^l  idea  of  force  ?  Or  that  which  we  admit 
with  regard  to  force^  upon  what  pretence  can  we  deny, 
concerning  grace  ?  If  there  are  queries,  difputes,  per- 
plexities, diverfity  of  notions  and  opinions  about  the  one, 
fo  there  are  about  the  other  alfo  :  If  we  can  form  no  pre- 
cife  diftindl  idea  of  the  one,  fo  neither  can  we  of  the 
other.  Ought  we  not,  therefore,  by  a  parity  of  reafon 
to  conclude,  there  may  be  poffibly  divers  true  and  ufeful 
propofitions  concerning  the  one,  as  well  as  the  other  ? 
And  that  grace  may,  for  ought  you  know,  be  an  objedt 
of  our  faith,  and  influence  our  life  and  actions,  as  a 
principle,  deftrudive  of  evil  habits,  and  produftive  of 
good  ones,  although  we  cannot  attain  a  diftin£t  idea  of 


[Dial.  VIL]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         347 

it,  feparatCj  or  abfl;ra£ted  from  God,  the  Author,  from 
man,  the  fubject,  and  from  virtue  and  piety  its  efFeds  ? 

Vni.  Shall  we  not  admit  the  fame  method  of  arguing^ 
the  fame  rules  of  logic,  reafon,  and  good  fenfe  to  obtain 
in  things  fplritual,  and  things  corporeal,  in  faith  and  fci- 
ence  ?  And  (hall  we  not  ufe  the  fame  candor,  and  make 
the  fame  allowances  in  examining  the  ravelations  of  God, 
and  the  inventions  of  men  ?  For  ought  I  fee,  that  philo- 
fopher  cannot  be  free  from  bias,  and  prejudice,  or  be  faid 
to  weigh  things  in  an  equal  balance,  who  (hall  maintain 
the  do(SLrine  of  force,  and  reject  that  of  grace,  who  fhall 
admit  the  abftract  idea  of  a  triangle,  and  at  the  fame 
time  ridicule  the  holy  trinity.  But,  however  partial  or 
prejudiced  other  Minute  Philofophers  might  be,  you  have 
laid  it  down  for  a  maxlm^  that  the  fame  logic,  which  ob- 
tains in  other  matters,  muft  be  admitted  in  religion. 

Lys.— I  think,  Alciphro7i^  it  would  be  more  prudent  to 
abide  by  the  way  of  wit  and  humor,  than  thus  to  try  re- 
ligion by  the  dry  teft  of  reafon  and  logic. 

Alc.—- Fear  not :  By  all  the  rules  of  right  reafon,  it 
is  abfolutely  impolTible  that  any  myflery,  and  leaft  of  all 
the  trinity,  fhould  really  be  the  object  of  man's  faith. 

EuPH. — I  do  not  wonder  you  thought  fo,  as  long  as 
you  maintained  that  no  man  could  aflent  to  a  propofition 
without  perceiving  or  framing  in  his  mind,  dlftin^t  ideas 
marked  by  the  terms  of  it.  But  although  terms  are  figns, 
yet  having  granted,  that  thofe  figns  may  be  fignifiicant, 
though  they  fhould  not  fugged  ideas  reprefented  by  tliem, 
provided  they  ferve  to  regulate  and  influence  our  wills, 
paflions,  or  conduct,  you  have  confequentiy  granted,  that 
the  mind  of  man  may  aflent  to  propofitions  containing 
fuch  terms,  when  it  is  fo  directed  or  affected  by  them, 
notwithllanding  it  fhould  not  perceive  diflincl  ideas  mark- 
ed by  thofe  terms.     Whence  It  feems  to  follow,  that  a 


348  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

man  may  believe  the  doclrine  of  the  trinity,  if  he  finds 
it  revealed  in  Holy  Scripture,  that  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghoft  are  God,  and  that  there  is  but  one 
God  ?  Although  he  doth  not  frame  in  his  mind,  any  ab- 
ftra^:,  or  diflinci:  ideas  of  trinity,  fubftance,  or  perfonai- 
ity,  provided,  that  this  doftrine  of  a  Creator,  Redeemer, 
and  San6lifier  makes  proper  impreffions  on  his  mind, 
producing  therein,  love,  hope,  gratitude,  and  obedience, 
and  thereby  becomes  a  lively  operative  principle,  influ- 
encing his  life  and  actions,  agreeably  to  that  notion  of  fa- 
ying faith  which  is  required  in  a  chriilian.  This,  I  fay, 
whether  right  or  wrong,  feem.s  to  follow  from  your  own 
principles,  and  conceflions.  But,  for  further  fatisfa£cion, 
it  may  not  be  amifs  to  inquire,  whether  there  be  any  thing 
parrallel  to  this  chriftian  faith,  in  the  Minute  Philofophy. 
Suppofe  a  fine  gentleman  or  lady  of  fafhion,  who  are  too 
much  employed  to  think  for  themfelves,  and  are  only  free- 
thinkers at  fecond  hand,  have  the  advantage  of  being  be- 
times initiated  in  the  principles  of  your  ie£ky  by  converfing 
with  men  of  depth  and  genius,  who  have  often  declared 
it  to  be  their  opinion,  the  world  is  governed  either  by  fate, 
or  by  chance,  it  matters  not  which  :  Will  you  deny  it  pof- 
fible  for  fuch  perfons  to  yield  their'  aflent  to  either  of  thefe 
propofitions  ? 

Alc. — I  will  not. 

EuPH. — x\nd  may  not  fuch  their  aflent,  be  properly 
C^Wed  faith  F 

Alc. — It  may. 

EuPH. —  And  yet  it  is  pofiible,  thofe  difciples  of  the 
Minute  Philofophy  may  not  dive  fo  deep,  as  to  be  able  to 
frame  any  abftra6l,  or  precife,  or  any  determinate  idea 
whatfoever,  either  of  fate,  or  of  chance. 

Alc. — This  too,  I  grant. 

EupK. — So  that  according  to  you,  this  fame  gentleman 
or  lady,  may  be  faid  to  believe,  or  have  faith,  where  they 
have  not  ideas. 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         349 

Alc. — They  may. 

EuPH.— And  may  not  this  faith,  or  perfuafion  produce 
real  effects,  and  (hew  itfelf  in  the  conduct,  and  tenor 
of  their  lives,  freeing  them  from  the  fears  of  fuperfti- 
tion,  and  giving  them  a  true  reUih  of  the  world,  with  a 
noble  indolence,  or  indifference  about  what  comes  after. 

Alc. — It  may. 

EuPH. — And  may  not  chriilians,  with  equal  reafon, 
be  allowed  to  believe  the  dignity  of  our  Saviour,  or  that 
in  him,  God  and  man,  makp  one  perfon,  and  be  verily 
perfuaded  thereof,  fo  far  as  for  fuch  faith  or  belief,  to  be- 
come a  real  principle  of  life  and  condu<Sl:  ?  inafmuch  as 
by  virtue  of  fuch  perfuafion,  they  fubmit  to  his  govern- 
ment, believe  his  doctrine,  and  practife  his  precepts,  al- 
though they  frame  no  ab(lra£l  idea  of  tlie  union  between 
the  divine  and  human  nature  •,  nor  may  be  able  to  -clear 
up  the  notion  of  perfon  to  the  contentment  of  a  Minute 
Philofopher.  To  me,  it  feems  evident,  that  if  none  but 
thofe  who  had  nicely  examined,  and  could  tliemfelves  ex- 
plain the  principle  of  individuation  in  man,  or  untie  the 
knots  and  anfwer  the  objedlions,  which  may  be  raifed  even 
about  human  perfonal  identity,  would  require  of  us  to  ex- 
plain the  divine  myfteries,  we  fiiould  not  be  often  called 
upon,  for  a  clear  and  diftinct  idea  of  perfon  in  relation  to 
the  trinity,  nor  would  the  difficulties  on  that  head,  be  of- 
ten objected  to  our  faith. 

Alc. — Methinks,  there  is  no  fuch  myftery  in  perfonal 
identity. 

EuPH.—Pray,  in  what  do  you  take  it  to  confift  ? 

Alc. — In  confcicufnefs. 

EuPH. — Whatever  is  pofTible,  may  be  fuppofed. 

Alc. — It  may. 

EuPH. — We  will  fuppofe  now  (which  is  poffible  in  x\vt 
nature  of  tilings,  and  reported  to  be  fa£l)  that  a  perfon, 
tlirough  fome  violent  accident  or  diilemper,  ftiould  fall  in- 


350  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

to  fuch  a  total  oblivion,  as  to  lofe  all  confcioufnefs  of  his 
paft  life,  and  former  ideas.  I  afk,  is  he  not  ft  ill  the  fame 
perfon  ? 

Alc— -He  is  the  fame  man,  but  not  the  fame  perfon. 
Indeed,  you  ought  not  to  fuppofe  that  a  perfon  lofeth  Its 
former  confcioufnefs  ;  for  this  is  impoffible,  though  a  man 
perhaps  may  ;  but  then  he  becomes  another  perfon.  In 
the  fame  perfon,  it  *muft  be  owned,  fome  old  ideas  may 
be  loft,  and  fome  new  ones  got :  But  a  total  change  is  in- 
confiftent  with  identity  of  perfon. 

EuPH. — Let  us  then  fuppofe  that  a  perfon  hath  ideas, 
and  is  confcious  during  a  certain  fpace  of  time,  which 
we  will  divide  into  three  equal  parts,  whereof  the  later 
terms  are  marked  by  the  letters,  A,  B,  C.  In  the  firft 
part  of  time,  the  perfon  gets  a  certain  number  of  ideas, 
which  are  retained  in  A  :  during  the  fecond  part  of  time, 
he  retains  one  half  of  his  old  ideas,  and  lofeth  the  other 
half,  in  place  of  which  he  acquires  as  many  new  ones : 
So  that  in  B,  his  ideas  are  half  old  and  half  new.  And  in 
the  third  part,  we  fuppofe  him  to  lofe  the  remainder  of 
the  ideas  acquired  in  the  iirft,  and  to  get  new  ones  in 
their  ftead,  which  are  retained  in  C,  together  with  thofe 
acquired  in  the  fecond  part  of  time.  Is  this  a  poffible 
fair  fuppofition  ? 

Alc. — It  is. 

EuPH. — Upon  thefe  premifes,  I  am  tempted  to  think, 
one  may  demenftrate,  that  perfonal  identity  doth  not 
condft  in  confcioufnefs. 

Alc. — As  how  ? 

EupH. — You  ftiall  judge  ;  but  thus  it  feems  to  me. 

The  perfons  in  A  and  B  are  the  fame,  being  confcious 
of  common  ideas  by  fuppofition.  The  perfon  in  B  is  (for 
the  fame  reafon)  one  and  the  fame  with  the  perfon  in  C. 
Therefore  the  perfon  in  A,  is  the  fame  with  the  perfon  in  C, 
by  that  undoubted  axiom,  ^ce  oonveniunt  uni  tertio  con- 
veniunt  inter  fe.     But  the  perfon  in  C   hath  no  idea  in 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         351 

common  with  the  perfon  in  A.  Therefore,  perfonal  iden- 
tity doth  not  confift  in  confcioufnefs.  What  do  you 
think,   Alciphrony  is  not  this  a  plain  inference  ? 

Alc. — I  teil  you  what  I  think  :    You  will  never  afliil 
my  faith  by  puzzling  my  knowledge. 

IX.  EuPH. — There  is,  if  I  miftake  not,  a  pra6iical  faith, 
or  aflent,  which  fheweth  itfelf  in  the  will  and  actions  of 
a  man,  although  his  underftanding  may  not  be  furniflied 
with  thofe  abftra6l,  precife,  diftin£t  ideas,  which,  what- 
ever a  philofopher  may  pretend,  are  acknowledged  to  be 
above  the  talents  of  common  men  ;  among  whom,  ne- 
verthelefs,  may  be  found,  even  according  to  your  own 
conceflion,  many  inftances  of  fuch  pracStical  faith,  in 
other  matters  which  do  not  concern  rehgion.  "What 
fliould  hinder,  therefore,  but  that  doctrines  relating  to 
heavenly  myfteries,  might  be  taught  in  this  faving  fenfe 
to  vulgar  minds,  which  you  may  well  think  incapable  of 
all  teaching  and  faith  in  the  fenfe  you  fuppofe.  Which 
miftaken  fenfe,  faid  CritOy  has  given  occafion  to  much 
profane  and  mifapplied  raillery.  But  all  this  may  very 
juflly  be  retorted  on  the  Minute  Phllofophcrs  themfelves, 
who  confound  fcholafticifm  with  chrifiiianity,  and  im- 
pute to  other  men  thofe  perplexities,  chimeras,  and  in- 
confident  ideas,  which  are  often  the  workmanifhip  of  their 
own  brains,  and  proceed  from  their  own  wrong  way  of 
thinking.  Who  doth  not  fee  that  fuch  an  ideal  abflra£l- 
ed  faith  is  never  thought  of  by  the  bulk  of  chriftians,  huf- 
bandmen,  for  inflance,  artifans,  or  fervants  ?  Or  what 
footfleps  are  there  in  the  Holy  Scripture  to  make  us  think, 
that  the  wiredrawing  of  ab{lra6i  ideas  was  a  talk  injoined 
either  Jews  or  chriftians  ?  Is  there  any  thing  in  the  law 
or  the  prophets,  the  evangeUfts  or  apoftles,  that  looks 
like  it  ?  Every  one,  v/hofe  underftanding  is  not  pervert- 
ed by  fcience,  falfely  fo  called,  may  fee  the  faving  faith 


352        MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

of  chrillians  is  quite  of  another  kind,  a  vital  operative 
principle,  productive  of  charity  and  obedience. 

Alc — What  are  v^e  to  think  then  of  the  difputes  and 
deciiions  of  the  famous  council  of  Nice^  and  fo  many  fub- 
fequent  councils  ?  What  was  the  intention  of  thofe  vene- 
rable fathers,  the  Homooufians  and  the  Homoioufians  ?  Why 
did  they  difturb  themfelves  and  the  world  with  hard  words 
and  fubtle  controverfies  ? 

Cri. — Whatever  their  intention  was,  it  could  not  be 
to  beget  nice  abftra£led  ideas  of  myfteries  in  the  minds 
of  common  chriftians,  this  being  evidently  impofTible  : 
Nor  doth  it  appear  that  the  bulk  of  chriftian  men  did,  in 
thofe  days,  think  it  any  part  of  their  duty,  to  lay  afide 
the  words,  (hut  their  eyes,  and  frame  thofe  abftra6l:  ideas  ; 
any  more  than  men  now  do  of  force,  time,  number,  or 
feveral  other  things,  about  which  they  neverthelefs  believe, 
know,  argue,  and  difpute.  To  me  it  feems,  that  what- 
ever was  the  fource  of  thofe  controverfies,  and  hov/foever 
they  were  managed,  wherein  human  infirmity  muft  be 
fuppofed  to  have  had  its  fliare,  the  main  end  was  not,  on 
cither  fide,  to  convey  precife  pofitive  ideas  to  the  minds 
of  men,  by  the  ufe  of  thofe  contefted  terms,  but  rather  a 
negative  fenfe,  tending  to  exclude  polytheifm  on  the  one 
hand,  and  fabcllianifm  on  the  other.* 

Alc. — But  what  fliall  we  fay  to  fo  many  learned  and 
ingenious  divines,  who,  from  time  to  time,  have  obliged 
the  world  with  new  explications  of  myfteries,  who  hav- 
ing themfelves  profefledly  labored  to  acquire  accurate  ideas, 
would  recommend  their  dlfcoveries  and  fpeculations  to 
others  for  articles  of  faith  ? 

Cri. — To  all  fuch  innovators  in  religion,  I  would  fay 
with  Jerome,  "  Why,  after  fo  many  centuries,  do  you 
pretend  to  teach  us  what  was  untaught  before  ?  Why  ex- 
plain what  neither  reter  nor  Paul  thought  neceflary  to  be 

*  Vid.  Sozomen,  1.  2.  c.  8. 


[Dial.  VIL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  353 

explained  ?  f "  And  it  muft  be  owned,  that  the  explication 
of  myfteries  in  divinity,  allowing  the  attempt  as  fruitlefs 
as  the  purfuit  of  the  philofopher's  ftone  in  chymiftry,  or 
the  perpetual  motion  in  mechanics,  is  no  more  than  they, 
chargeable  on  the  profeffion  itfelf,  but  only  on  the  wrong- 
headed  profeflbrs  of  it. 

X.  It  feems,  that  what  hath  been  now  faid,  may  be 
applied  to  other  myfteries  of  our  religion.  Original  fm, 
for  inftance,  a  man  may  find  it  impoffible  to  form  an  idea 
of  an  abftract,  or  of  the  manner  of  its  tranfmiffion,  and 
yet  the  belief  thereof  may  produce  in  his  mind  a  falutary 
fenfe  of  his  own  unworthinefs,  and  the  goodnefs  of  his 
Redeemer :  From  whence  may  follow  good  habits,  and 
from  them  good  adlions,  the  genuine  eiFefts  of  faith  :  which 
confidered  in  its  true  light,  is  a  thing  neither  repugnant  nor 
incomprehenfible,  as  fome  men  would  pcrfuade  us,  but  fuit- 
ed  even  to  vulgar  capacities,  placed  in  the  will  and  afF'clions 
rather  than  in  the  underftanding,  and  producing  holy  lives, 
rather  than  fubtile  theories.  Faith,  I  fay,  is  not  an  indo- 
lent perception,  but  an  operative  pcrfuafion  of  mind, 
which  ever  worketh  fome  fuitable  a6lion,  difpofition,  or 
emotion  in  thofe  who  have  it  :  As  it  were  eafy  to  prove 
and  illuftrate  by  innumerable  inftances  taken  from  human 
affairs.  And,  indeed,  while  the  chriftian  religion  is  con- 
fidered as  an  inftitution  fitted  to  ordinary  minds,  rather 
than  to  the  nicer  talent,  whether  improved  or  puzzled, 
of  fpeculative  men  ;  and  our  notions  about  faith  are  ac- 
cordingly taken  from  the  commerce  of  the  world,  and 
practice  of  mankind,  rather  than  from  the  peculiar  fyf- 
tems  of  refiners  •,  it  will,  I  think,  be  no  dlfiicult  matter 
to  conceive  and  juftify  the  meaning  and  ufe  of  our  belief 
of  myfteries,  againft  the  moft  confident  aflertions  and  ob- 
jections of  the  Minute  Philofophers,  who  are  eafily  to  be 

f  Hieronym,  ad  Pammachium  &  Oceanum  de  erroribus  Origcnis. 
W  w 


354         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

caught  in  thofe  very  fnares,  which  they  have  fpun  and 
fpread  for  others.  And  that  humor  of  controverfy,  the 
mother  and  nurfe  of  hereiies,  would  doubtlefs  very  much 
abate,  if  it  was  confidered  that  things  are  to  beratedj  not 
by  the  colour,  fliape,  or  ftamp,  fo  truly  as  by  the  weight. 
If  the  moment  of  opinions  had  been  by  fome  litigious  di- 
vines made  the  meafure  of  their  zeal,  it  might  have  fpar- 
ed  much  trouble  both  to  themfelves  and  others.  Cer- 
tainly one  that  takes  his  notions  of  faith,  opinion,  and 
aflent  from  common  fenfe,  and  common  ufe,  and  has  ma- 
turely weighed  the  nature  of  figns  and  language,  will  not 
be  fo  apt  to  controvert  the  wording  of  a  myftery,  or  to 
break  the  peace  of  the  church,  for  the  fake  of  retaining 
or  rejeding  a  term.  But,  to  convince  you,  by  a  plain 
inftance,  of  the  efficacious  neceflary  ufe  of  faith  without 
ideas  :  We  will  fuppofe  a  man  of  the  world,  a  Minute 
Philofopher,  prodigal  and  rapacious,  one  of  large  appe- 
tites and  narrow  circumllances,  who  {hall  have  it  in  his 
power  at  once  to  fcize  upon  a  great  fortune  by  one  villan- 
ous  aft,  a  fingle  breach  of  trull,  which  he  can  commit 
with  impunity  and  fecrecy  :  Is  it  not  natural  to  fuppofe 
him  arguing  in  this  manner  ?  All  mankind  in  their  fenfes 
purfue  their  intereft.  The  interefts  of  this  prefent  life 
are  either  of  mind,  body,  or  fortune.  If  I  commit  this 
faft,  my  mind  will  be  eafy  (having  nought  to  fear  here  or 
hereafter)  my  bodily  pleafures  will  be  multiplied,  and  my 
fortune  enlarged.  Suppofe  now,  one  of  your  refined 
theorifts  talks  to  him  about  the  harmony  of  mind  and  af- 
feftions,  inward  worth,  truth  of  character,  in  one  word, 
the  beauty  of  virtue ;  which  is  the  only  intereft  he  can 
propofe,  to  turn  the  fcale  againft  all  other  fecular  interefts 
and  fenfual  pleafures  ,  would  it  not,  think  you,  be  a  vain 
attempt  ?  I  fay,  in  fuch  a  jun£lure  what  can  the  moft 
plaufible  and  refined  philofophy  of  your  fett  offer,  to  dif- 
fuade  fuch  a  man  from  his  purpofe,  more  than  affuring 


[Dial.  VIL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         355 

him  that  the  abfl:ra£i:ed  delight  of  the  mind,  the  enjoy- 
ments of  an  interior  moral  fenfe,  the  to  kalon  are  what 
conftitute  his  true  intereft  ?  And  what  efFed:  can  this  have 
on  a  mind  callous  to  all  thofe  things,  and  at  the  fame  time 
ftrongly  afFe£i:ed  with  a  fenfe  of  corporeal  pleafures,  and 
the  outward  intereft,  ornaments,  and  conveniencies  of 
life  ?  Whereas  that  very  man,  do  but  produce  in  him  a 
fincere  belief  of  a  future  ftate,  although  it  be  a  myftery, 
although  it  be  what  eye  hath  not  feen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor 
hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive,  he  (hall 
neverthelefs,  by  virtue  of  fuch  belief,  be  withheld  from 
executing  his  wicked  proje£l  :  And  that  for  reafons  which 
all  men  can  comprehend,  though  no  body  can  the  object 
of  them.  I  will  allow  the  points  infifted  on  by  your  re- 
fined moralifts  to  be  as  lovely  and  excellent  as  you  pleafe 
to  a  reafonable,  refle6ling,  philofophical  mind.  But  I 
will  venture  to  fay,  that,  as  the  world  goes,  few,  very 
few,  would  be  influenced  by  them.  We  fee,  therefore, 
the  neceflary  ufe  as  well  as  the  powerful  effe<5ts  of  faith, 
even  where  we  have  not  ideas. 

XI.  Alc— It  feems,  Euphranor  and  you,  would  per- 
fuade  me  into  an  opinion,  that  there  is  nothing  fo  (ingularly 
abfurd  as  we  are  apt  to  think,  in  the  belief  of  myfteries  r 
And  that  a  man  need  not  renounce  his  reafon  to  maintain 
his  religion.  But  if  this  were  true,  how  comes  it  to  pafs, 
that,  in  proportion  as  men  abound  in  knowledge,  they 
dwindle  in  faith  ? 

EuPH. — O  Alcipkron,  I  have  learned  from  you,  that 
there  is  nothing  like  going  to  the  bottom  of  things,  and 
analyfmg  them  into  their  firft  principles.  I  fhall  there- 
fore make  an  eflay  of  this  method,  for  clearing  up  the 
nature  of  faith  :  With  what  fuccefs  I  fhall  leave  you  to 
determine  :  For  I  dare  not  pronounce  myfelf  on  my  own 
judgment,  whether  it  be  right  or  wrong :  But  thus  it 


356  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

feems  to  me.  The  obje£lIons  made  to  faith  are  by  no 
means  an  efFe6t  of  knowledge,  but  proceed  rather  from 
an  ignorance  of  what  knowledge  is  :  Which  ignorance 
may  poflibiy  be  found  even  in  thofe  who  pafs  for  mafters 
of  this  or  that  particular  branch  of  knowledge.  Science 
and  faith  agree  in  this,  that  they  both  imply  an  aflent  of 
the  mind :  And,  as  the  nature  of  the  firft  is  mod  clear 
and  evident,  it  fnould  be  firft  confidercd  in  order  to  caft  a 
light  on  the  other.  To  trace  things  from  their  original, 
it  feems  that  the  human  mind,  naturally  furniflied  with 
the  ideas  of  things  particular  and  concrete,  and  being  de- 
igned, not  for  the  bare  intuition  of  ideas,  but  for  action 
or  operation  about  them,  and  purfuing  her  own  happinefs 
therein,  ftands  in  need  of  certain  general  rules  or  theo- 
rems to  dire6l  her  operations  in  this  purfuit :  The  fupply- 
ing  which  want  is  the  true,  original,  reafonable  end  of 
studying  the  arts  and  fciences.  Now  thefe  rules  being 
general,  it  follows,  that  they  are  not  to  be  obtained  by 
the  mere  confideration  of  the  original  ideas,  or  particular 
things,  but  by  the  means  of  marks  or  figns,  which,  being 
fo  far  forth  univerfal,  become  the  immediate  inflruments 
and  materials  of  fcience.  It  is  not,  therefore,  by  mere 
contemplation  of  particular  things,  and  much  lefs  of  their 
abftracSt  general  ideas,  that  the  mind  makes  her  progrefs, 
but  by  an  appofite  choice  and  Ikilful  management  of  figns  ; 
For  inftance,  force  and  number,  taken  in  concrete  with 
their  adjunfts,  fubje£l:s,  and  figns,  are  what  every  one 
knows  :  And  confidered  in  abftra6l,  fo  as  making  precife 
ideas  of  themfelves,  they  are  what  no  body  can  compre- 
hend. That  their  ab(lra£l  nature,  therefore,  is  not  the 
foundation  of  fcience,  is  plain  :  And  that  barely  confid- 
ering  their  ideas  in  concrete,  is  not  the  method  to  advance 
in  the  refpedive  fcience,  is  what  every  one  that  refle6ls 
may  fee  ;  nothing  being  more  evident,  than  that  one,  who 
c;in  neither  write  nor  read,  in  common  ufe,  underftands 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  357 

the  meaning  of  numeral  words,  as  well  as  the  beft  philo- 
fopher  or  mathematician. 

XII.  But  here  lies  the  difference  :  the  one  who  under- 
flands  the  notation  of  numbers,  by  means  thereof  is  able 
to  exprefs  briefly  and  diftin£lly  all  the  variety  and  degrees 
of  number,  and  to  perform  with  eafe  and  difpatch  feveral 
arithmetical  operations,  by  the  help  of  general  rules.  Of 
all  which  operations,  as  the  ufe  in  human  life  is  very  evi- 
dent, fo  it  is  no  lefs  evident,  that  the  performing  them  de- 
pends on  the  aptnefs  of  the  notation.  If  we  fuppofe 
rude  mankind,  without  the  ufe  of  language,  it  may  be 
prefumed,  they  would  be  ignorant  of  arithmetic  :  But 
the  ufe  of  names,  by  the  repetition  whereof  in  a  certain 
order  they  might  exprefs  endlefs  degrees  of  number, 
would  be  the  flrft  ilep  towards  that  fcience.  The  next 
Hep  would  be,  to  devife  proper  marks  of  a  permanent 
nature,  and  vifible  to  the  eye,  the  kind  and  order  whereof 
mull  be  chofe  with  judgment,  and  accommodated  to  the 
names.  Which  marking  or  notation  would,  in  propor- 
tion as  it  was  apt  and  regular,  facilitate  the  invention  and 
application  of  general  rules,  to  afiift  the  mind  in  reafon- 
ing  and  judging,  in  extending,  recording,  and  commu- 
nicating Its  knowledge  about  numbers  :  in  which  theory 
and  operations,  the  mind  is  immediately  occupied  about 
the  figns  or  notes,  by  mediation  of  which  it  is  directed  to 
a£l:  about  things,  or  number  in  concrete  (as  the  logicians 
call  it)  without  ever  confidering  the  limple,  abftratSl:,  in- 
tellectual, general  idea  of  number.  The  figns,  indeed, 
do  in  their  ufe  imply  relations  or  proportions  of  things  : 
but  thefe  relations  are  not  abftra£i:  general  ideas,  being 
founded  in  particular  things,  and  not  making  of  themfelves 
diftin£t  Ideas  to  the  mind,  exclufive  of  the  particular 
ideas  and  the  figns.  I  imagine  one  need  not  think  much 
to  be  convinced,  that  the  fcience  of  arithmetic,  in  its  rife, 


358         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

operations,  rules  and  theorems,  is  altogether  converfant 
about  the  artificial  ufe  of  figns,  names,  and  characters. 
Thefe  names  and  characters  are  univerfal,  inafmuch  as 
they  are  figns.  The  names  are  referred  to  things,  the 
characters  to  names,  and  both  to  operation.  The  names 
being  few,  and  proceeding  by  a  certain  analogy,  the  cha- 
ra£lers  will  be  more  ufeful,  the  fimpler  they  are,  and 
the  more  aptly  they  exprefs  this  analogy.  Hence  the 
old  notation  by  letters  was  more  ufeful  than  words  writ- 
ten at  length  :  And  the  modern  notation  by  figures,  ex- 
preffing  the  progrefTion  or  analogy  of  the  names  by  their 
fimple  places,  is  much  preferable  to  that,  for  eafe  and  ex- 
pedition, as  the  invention  of  algebraical  fymbols  is  to  this 
for  extenfive  and  general  ufe.  As  arithmetic  and  algebra 
are  fciences  of  great  clearnefs,  certainty,  and  extent, 
which  are  immediately  converfant  about  figns,  upon  the 
fkillful  ufe  and  management  whereof  they  intirely  depend, 
fo  a  little  attention  to  them  may  poflfibly  help  us  to  judge 
of  the  progrefs  of  the  mind  in  other  fciences ;  which, 
though  differing  in  nature,  defign,  and  objeCt,  may  yet 
agree  in  the  general  methods  of  proof  and  inquiry. 

XIII.— If  I  miftake  not,  all  fciences,  fo  far  as  they  are 
univerfal  and  demonftrable  by  human  reafon,  will  be 
found  converfant  about  figns  as  their  immediate  objeft, 
though  thefe  in  the  application  are  referred  to  things  :  The 
reafon  whereof  is  not  difficult  to  conceive.  For  as  the 
mind  is  better  acquainted  with  fome  fort  of  objects,  which 
are  earlier  offered  to  it,  flrike  it  more  fenfibly,  or  are 
more  eafily  comprehended  than  others,  it  feems  naturally 
led  to  fubflitute  thefe  objects  for  fuch  as  are  more  fubtile, 
fleeting,  or  difficult  to  conceive.  Nothing,  I  fay,  is  more 
natural,  than  to  make  the  things  we  know,  a  flep  to- 
wards thofe  we  do  not  know  :  and  to  explain  and  repre- 
fent  things  lefs  familiar  by  others  which  are  more  fo.— 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  359 

Now,  it  is  certain  we  imagine  before  we  refled  ;  and  we 
perceive  by  fenfe  before  we  imagine  :  and  of  all  our  fen- 
fes  the  fight  is  the  moft  clear,  diftind,  various,  agreea- 
ble, and  comprehenfive.      Hence  it  is  natural  to  aflift  in- 
telledl  by  imagination,   immagination  by  fenfe,  and  other 
fenfes   by  fight.      Hence   figures,  metaphors,  and  types. 
We  illuftrate  fpiritual  things  by  corporeal :  we  fubftitute 
founds  for  thoughts,  and  written  letters  for  founds  -,  em- 
blems, fymbols,   and  hieroglyphics  for  things  too  obfcurc 
to  flrike,  and  too  various  or  too  fleeting  to  be  retained. 
We  fubftitute   things  imaginable  for  things   intelligible, 
fenfible  things  for  imaginable,  fmaller   things   for  thofe 
that  are  too  great  to  comprehend  eafily,  and  greater  things 
for  fuch  as  are  too  fmall  to  be  difcerned  diftindlly,  pre- 
fent  things  for  abfent,  permanent  for  perifhing,  and  vifi- 
ble  for  invifible.     Hence  the  ufe  of  models  and  diagrams. 
Hence  lines  are  fubftituted  for  time,  velocity,  and  other 
things  of  very  different  natures.     Hence  we  fpeak  of  fpi- 
rits  in  a  figurative  ftyle,  expreffing  the  operations  of  the 
mind   by   allufions  and    terms,    borrowed  from  fenfible 
things,  fuch  as  apprehend,   conceive,    rejiecl,  difcourfe,  and 
fuch  like  :  And  hence  thofe  allegories  which   illuftrate 
things  intelledlual  by  vifions  exhibited  to  the  fancy.   PlatOy 
for  inftance,  reprefents  the  mind  prefiding  in  her  vehicle 
by  the   driver   of   a   winged  chariot,  which    fometimes 
moults  and  droops  and  is  drawn  by  two  horfes,  the  one 
good,  and  of  a  good  race,  the  other  of  a  contrary  kind  ; 
fymbolically  exprefling  the  tendency  of  the  mind  towards 
the  divinity,  as  ftie  foars  or  is  borne  aloft  by  two  inftin£ls 
like  wings,  the  one  in  the   intelle61:  towards  truth,  the 
other    in  the   will  towards   excellence,    which    inftin£i:s 
moult  or  are  weakened  by  fenfual  inclinations  :  exprefling 
alfo  her  alternate  elevations  and  depreflions,  the  ftruggles 
between  reafon  and  appetite,  like  horfes  that  go  an   une- 
qual pace,  or  draw  diflTerent  ways,  embarrafling  the  foul 


36o         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

in  her  progrefs  to  perfection.  I  am  inclined  to  think  the 
doctrine  of  figns  a  point  of  great  importance,  and  gene- 
ral extent,  which  if  duly  confidered,  would  c aft  no  fmall 
light  upon  things,  and  afford  a  juft  and  genuine  folution 
of  many  difficulties. 

XIV.  Thus  much,  upon  the  whole,  may  be  faid  of 
all  figns  :  That  they  do  not  always  fuggeft  ideas  fignified 
to  the  mind  :  That  when  they  fuggeft  ideas,  they  are  not 
general  abftra6^  ideas  :  That  they  have  other  ufes  bcfides 
barely  ftanding  for  and  exhibiting  ideas,  fuch  as  raifing 
proper  emotions,  producing  certain  difpofitions  or  habits 
of  mind,  and  direfibing  our  actions  in  purfuit  of  that 
happlnefs,  which  is  the  ultimate  end  and  defign,  the  pri- 
mary fpring  and  motive,  that  fets  rational  agents  at  work  : 
That  figns  may  imply  or  fuggeft  the  relations  of  things  ; 
which  relations,  habitudes,  or  proportions,  as  they  can- 
not be  by  us  underftood  but  by  the  help  of  figns,  fo  being 
thereby  expreiied  and  confuted  they  dire6l  and  enable  us 
to  a6t  with  regard  to  things  :  That  the  true  end  of  fpeech, 
reafon,  fcience,  faith,  alTent,  in  all  its  different  degrees, 
is  not  merely,  or  principally,  or  always  the  imparting  or 
acquiring  of  ideas,  but  rather  fomething  of  an  active, 
operative  nature,  tending  to  a  conceived  good  ;  which 
may  fometiraes  be  obtained,  not  only  although  the  ideas 
marked  are  not  offered  to  the  mind,  but  even  although 
there  fhould  be  no  poffibillty  of  offering  or  exhibiting  any 
fuch  idea  to  the  mind  :  For  inftance,  the  algebraic  mark, 
which  denotes  the  root  of  a  negative  fquare,  hath  its  ufe 
in  logiftic  operations,  although  it  be  impoffible  to  form 
an  idea  of  any  fuch  quantity.  And  what  is  true  of  alge- 
braic figns,  is  alfo  true  of  v/ords  or  language,  modern  al- 
gebra being  in  fa£l  a  more  (liort,  appofite,  and  artificial 
fort  of  language,  and  it  being  poffible  to  exprefs  by  words 
at  length,  though  lefs  conveniently,  all  the  fteps  of  an  al- 


[Dial.  VIL]   MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         361 

gebraical  procefs.  And  it  muft  be  confefled,  that  even 
the  mathematical  fciences  themfelves,  which  above  all  oth- 
ers are  reckoned  the  moft  clear  and  certain,  if  they  are 
confidered,  not  as  inftruments  to  dire6l  our  practice,  but 
as  fpeculations  to  employ  our  curiofity,  will  be  found  to 
fall  (hort  in  many  inftances  of  thofe  clear  and  diftincl  ideas, 
which,  it  feems,  the  Minute  Philofophers  of  this  age, 
whether  knowingly  or  ignorantly,  expe^  and  infift  upon 
in  the  myfteries  of  religion. 

XV.  Be  the  fcience  or  fubje£l  what  it  will,  whenfoe- 
ver  men  quit  particulars  for  generalities,  things  concrete 
for  abftraftions,  when  they  forfake  pra6tical  views,  and 
the  ufeful  purpofes  of  knowledge  for  barren  fpeculation, 
confidering  means  and  inftruments  as  ultimate  ends,  and 
loboring  to  obtain  precife  ideas,  which  tliey  fuppofe  indif- 
criminately  annexed  to  all  terms,  they  will  be  fare  to  em- 
barrafs  themfelves  with  difficulties  and  difputes.  Such 
are  thofe  which  have  fprung  up  in  geometry  about  the  na- 
ture of  the  angle  of  contact,  the  dodrine  of  proportions, 
of  indivifibles,  infinitefimals,  and  divers  other  points ; 
notwithftanding  all  which,  that  fcience  is  very  rightly  ef- 
teemed  an  excellent  and  ufeful  one,  and  is  really  found 
to  be  fo  in  many  occafions  of  human  life  ;  wherein  it  gov- 
erns and  directs  the  adlions  of  men,  fo  that  by  the  aid  or 
influence  thereof,  thofe  operations  become  juft  and  accu- 
rate, which  would  otherwife  be  faulty  and  uncertain. 
And  from  a  parity  of  reafon,  we  fhould  not  conclude  any 
other  do6lrines  which  govern,  influence,  or  dire£l  the 
mind  of  man  to  be,  any  more  than  that,  the  lefs  true  or 
excellent,  becaufe  they  aflx)rd  matter  of  controverfy  and 
ufelefs  fpeculation  to  curious  and  licentious  wits  :  Partic- 
"ularly  thofe  articles  of  our  chriftian  faith,  which,  in  pro- 
portion as  they  are  believed,  perfuade,  and,  as  they  per- 
fuade,  influence  the  lives  and  actions  of  men.     As  to  the 

X  X 


362         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

perplexity  of  contradi£tions  and  abftrafted  notions,  in  all 
parts,  whether  of  human  fcience  or  divine  faith,  cavillers 
may  equally  objed:,  and  unwary  perfons  incur,  while  the 
judicious  avoid  it.  There  is  no  need  to  depart  from  the 
received  rules  of  reafoning  to  juflify  the  belief  of  chrif- 
tians.  And  if  any  pious  men  think  otherwife,  it  may  be 
fuppofed  an  effect,  not  of  religion  or  of  reafon,  but  only 
of  human  weakncfs.  If  this  age  be  fmgularly  produ£live 
of  infidels,  I  (hall  not,  therefore,  conclude  it  to  be  more 
knowing,  but  only  more  prefuming,  than  former  ages  : 
And  their  conceit,  I  doubt,  is  not  the  effedt  of  confider- 
ation.  To  me  it  feems,  that  the  more  thoroughly  and 
extenfively  any  man  fhall  confider^and  fcan  the  principles, 
objeds,  and  methods  of  proceeding  in  arts  and  fciences, 
the  more  he  will  be  convinced,  there  is  no  weight  in  thofe 
plaufible  objeftions  that  are  made  againft  the  myfteries  of 
faith,  which  it  will  be  no  difficult  matter  for  him  to  main- 
tain or  j  uflify  in  the  received  method  of  arguing,  on  the 
common  principles  of  logic,  and  by  numberlefs  avowed 
parrallel  cafes,  throughout  the  feveral  branches  of  human 
knowledge,  in  all  which  the  fuppofition  of  abftradl  ideas 
creates  the  fame  difficulties. 

Alc. — According  to  this  do£lrine,  all  points  may  be 
alike  maintained.  There  will  be  nothing  abfurd  in  pope- 
ry, not  even  tranfubftantiation. 

EuPH. — Pardon  me.  This  do6lrine  juftifies  no  article 
of  faith,  which  is  not  contained  in  fcripture,  or  which  is 
repugnant  to  human  reafon,  which  implies  a  contradic- 
tion, or  which  leads  to  idolatry  or  wickednefs  of  any  kind  ; 
All  which  is  very  diffi^rcnt  from  our  not  having  a  diftin£t 
or  an  abftradl  idea  of  a  point. 

XVI.  Alc. — I  will  allow,  Euphvanor^  this  reafoning 
of  yours  to  have  all  the  force  you  meant  it  fnould  have. 
I  freely  own  there  may  be  myfteries :  That  we  may  be- 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         363 

lieve,  where  we  do  not  underftand  :  And  that  faith  may 
be  of  ufe,  although  its  object  is  not  difl:in£lly  apprehended. 
In  a  word,  I  grant  there  may  be  faith  and  myfteries  in  oth- 
er things,  but  not  in  religion  :  And  that  for  this  plain  rea- 
fon  :  becaufe  it  is  abfurd  to  fuppofe,  there  fhould  be  any 
fuch  thing  as  religion  :  And  if  there  be  no  religion,  it  fol- 
lows there  cannot  be  religious. faith  or  myfteries.  Reli- 
gion, it  is  evident,  implies  the  worfhip  of  a  God,  which 
worfhip,  fuppofeth  rewards  and  punifhments,  which  fuppofe 
merits  and  demerits,  a6lions  good  and  evil,  and  thefe  fup- 
pofe human  liberty,  a  thing  impoffible  :  and  confequently 
religion  a  thing  built  thereon,  muft  be  an  unreafonable  ab- 
furd thing.  There  can  be  no  rational  fears  where  there 
is  no  guilt,  nor  any  guilt  where  there  is  nothing  done, 
but  what  unavoidably  follows  from  the  ftructure  of 
the  world  and  the  laws  of  motion.  Corporeal  objects 
ftrike  on  the  organs  of  fenfe,  whence  enfues  a  vibra- 
tion in  the  nerves,  which  being  communicated  to  the  foul, 
or  animal  fpirit  in  the  brain  or  root  of  the  nerves,  produ- 
ceth  therein  that  motion  called  volition  :  And  this  produ- 
ceth  a  new  determination  in  the  fpirits,  caufing  them  to 
flow  into  fuch  ner\'es  as  muft  neceflarily  by  the  laws  of 
mechanifm  produce  fuch  certain  a£i:ions.  This  being  the 
cafe,  it  follows,  that  thofe  things,  which  vulgarly  pafs  for 
human  a61:ions,  are  to  be  efteemcd  mechanical,  and  that 
they  are  fallly  afcribed  to  a  free  principle.  There  is, 
therefore,  no  foundation  for  praife  or  blame,  fear  or  hope, 
reward  or  punifhment,  nor  confequently  for  religion, 
which,  as  I  obferved  before,  is  built  upon  and  fuppofeth 
thofe  things. 

EuPH. — You  imagine,  Alciphron^  if  I  rightly  under- 
ftand you,  that  man  is  a  fort  of  organ  played  on  by  out- 
ward obje£ls,  which  according  to  the  different  {hape  and 
texture  of  the  nerves,  produce  different  motions  and  effedle 
therein. 


364         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  VIL] 

Alc. — Man  may,  indeed,  be  fitly  compared  to  an  or- 
gan :  but  a  puppet  is  the  very  thing.  You  mull  know, 
that  certain  particles  iffuing  forth  in  right  lines  from  all  fen- 
fible  objects,  compofe  fo  many  rays,  or  filaments,  which 
drive,  draw,  and  a61:uate  every  part  of  the  foul  and  bo- 
dy of  man,  juft  as  threads  of  wires  do  the  joints  of  that 
little  wooden  machine  vulgarly  called  a  Puppet  :  With 
this  only  difference  that  the  latter  are  grofs  and  vifible  to 
common  eyes,  whereas,  the  former  are  too  fine  and  fubtle 
to  be  difcerned  by  any  but  a  fagacious  free-thinker. 
This  admirably  accounts  for  all  thofe  operations,  wlwch 
we  have  been  taught  to  afcribe  to  a  thinking  principle 
v/ithin  us. 

EuPH. — This  is  an  ingenious  thought,  and  mufl  be  of 
great  ufe  in  freeing  men  from  all  anxiety  about  moral  no- 
tions, as  it  transfers  the  principle  of  a6lion  from  the  hu- 
man foul  to  things  outward  and  foreign.  But  I  have  my 
fcruples  about  it.  For  you  fuppofe  the  mind  in  a  literal 
fenfc  to  be  moved,  and  its  volitions  to  be  mere  motions. 
Nov/,  if  another  (hould  affirm,  as  it  is  not  impoflible  fome 
or  other  may,  that  the  foul  is  incorporeal,  and  that  mo- 
tion is  one  thing,  and  volition  another,  I  would  fain  know 
how  you  could  make  your  point  clear  to  fuch  a  one.  It 
muft  be  owned  very  clear  to  thofe,  who  admit  the  foul  to 
be  corporeal,  and  all  her  adts  to  be  but  fo  many  motions. 
Upon  this  fuppofition,  indeed,  the  light  wherein  you  place 
human  nature  is  no  lefs  true,  than  it  is  fine  and  new.  But 
let  any  one  deny  this  fuppofition,  which  is  eafily  done,  and 
the  whole  fuperftru£lure  falls  to  the  ground.  If  we  grant 
the  abovcmentioned  points,  I  will  not  deny  a  fatal  necefil- 
ty  mull  enfue.  But  I  fee  no  reafon  for  granting  them. 
On  the  contrary,  it  feems  plain,  that  motion  and  thought 
are  two  things  as  really  and  as  manifeftly  diftinfi;  as  a 
triangle,  and  a  found.  It  feems,  therefore,  that  in  or- 
der to  prove  the  neceffity  of  human  adions,  you  fuppofe 


[Dial.  Vn.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         36^ 
what  wants  proof  as  much  as  the  very  point  to  beproved. 

XVII.  Alc— But  fuppofing  the  mind  incorporeal,  I 
fliall,  neverthelefs,  be  able  to  prove  my  point.  Not  to 
amufe  you  with  far-fetched  arguments,  I  fhall  only  de- 
fire  you  to  look  into  your  own  breaft  and  obfers^e  how 
things  pafs  there,  when  an  obje£l  offers  itfelf  to  the  mind. 
Firft  the  underftanding  confiders  it :  in  the  next  place,  the 
judgment  decrees  about  it,  as  a  thing  to  be  chofen  or  re- 
je(3:ed,  to  be  omitted  or  done,  in  this  or  that  manner  : 
And  this  decree  of  the  judgment  doth  neceflarily  deter- 
mine the  will,  whofe  office  is  merely  to  execute  what  is 
ordained  by  another  faculty  :  Confequently  there  is  no 
fuch  thing  as  freedom  of  the  will.  For  that  which  Is  ne- 
celTary,  cannot  be  free.  In  freedom,  there  fhould  be  an 
indifference  to  either  fide  of  the  queflion,  a  power  to  a6t 
or  not  to  aft,  without  prefcrlption  or  control :  and  with- 
out this  indifference  and  this  power,  it  is  evident,  the  will 
cannot  be  free.  But  it  is  no  Icfs  evident,  that  the  will  is 
not  indifferent  in  its  actions,  being  abfolutely  determin- 
ed and  governed  by  the  judgment.  Now  whatever  moves 
the  judgment,  whether  the  greatefl  prefent  uneafinefs, 
or  the  greatefl  apparent  good,  or  whatever  elfe  it  be,  it 
is  all  one  to  the  point  in  hand.  The  will  being  ever  con- 
cluded and  controlled  by  the  judgment,  is  in  all  cafes 
alike  under  neceffity.  There  is  indeed,  throughout  the 
whole  of  human  nature,  nothing  like  a  principle  of  free- 
dom, every  faculty  being  determined  in  all  its  afts  by 
fomething  foreign  to  it.  The  underftanding,  for  inftanpe, 
cannot  alter  its  idea,  but  muft  necefTarlly  fee  it  fuch  as 
it  prefents  itfelf.  The  appetites,  by  a  natural  neceffity, 
are  carried  towards  their  refpeftive  objetls.  Reafon 
cannot  infer  indifferently  any  thing  from  any  thing,  but 
is  limitted  by  the  nature  and  connexion  of  things,  and 
the  eternal  rules  of  regfoning.     And  as  th'S  is  confeffedly 


366         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

the  cafe  of  all  other  faculties,  fo  it  equally  holds  with  re- 
fpe<^  to  the  will  itfelf,  as  hath  been  already  fhewn.  And 
if  we  may  credit  the  divine  charafterizer  of  our  times, 
this,  above  all  others,  muft  be  allowed  the  moft  flavifli 
faculty.  "  Appetite  (faith  that  noble  writer)  which  is  el- 
der brother  to  reafon,  being  the  lad  of  ftronger  growth, 
is  fure  on  every  conteft  to  take  the  advantage  of  drawing 
all  to  his  own  fide  :  and  will,  fo  highly  boafted,  is  but 
at  bcft  a  foot-ball,  or  top,  between  thoTe  young fters  who 
prove  very  unfortunately  matched,  till  the  youngeft,  in- 
ftead  of  now  and  then  a  kick  or  lafli,  bellowed  to  little  pur- 
pofe,  forfakes  the  ball  or  top  itfelf,  and  begins  to  lay 
about  his  elder  brother." 

Cri. — This  beautiful  parable,  for  ftile  and  manner, 
might  equal  thofe  of  a  known  Englijh  writer,  in  low  life, 
renowned  for  allegory,  were  it  not  a  little  incorre£l:,  ma- 
king the  weaker  lad  find  his  account  in  laying  about  the 
ftronger. 

Alc. — This  is  helped  by  fuppofing  the  ftronger  lad  the 
greater  coward.  But,  be  that  as  it  will,  fo  far  as  it  re- 
lates to  the  point  in  hand,  this  is  a  clear  ftate  of  the  cafe. 
The  fame  point  may  be  alfo  proved  from  the  prefcience  of 
God.  That  which  is  certainly  foreknown,  will  certainly 
be.  And  what  is  certain,  is  neceflary.  And  neceflary  ac- 
tions cannot  be  the  efFe£i  of  free-will.  Thus  you  have 
this  fundamental  point  of  our  free-thinking  philofophy 
demonftrated  different  ways. 

EuPH. — Tell  me,  Alciphron^  do  you  think  it  implies  a 
contradi«5lion,  that  God  fhould  make  a  creature  free  ? 

Alc.-— I  do  not. 

EuPH. — It  is  then  poflible  there  may  be  fuch  a  thing. 

Alc. — This  I  do  not  deny. 

EupH. — You  can,  therefore,  conceive  and  fuppofe  fuch 
a  free  agent. 

Alc. — Admitting  that  I  can  ;  what  then  ? 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         367 

EuPH. — Would  not  fuch  an  one  think  that  he  a£led  ? 

Alc. — He  would. 

EupH. — And  condemn  himfelf  for  fome  actions,  and 
approve  himfelf  for  others  ? 

Alc. — This  too  I  grant. 

EupH.— Would  he  not  think  he  deferved  reward  or 
puniftiment  ? 

Alc. — He  would. 

EuPH. — And  are  not  all  thefe  characSters  adually 
found  in  man  ? 

Alc. — They  are. 

EupH. — ^Tell  me  now,  what  other  character  of  yqur 
fuppofed  free  agent  may  not  actually  be  found  in  man  ? 
For  if  there  is  none  fuch,  we  muft  conclude,  that  man 
hath  all  the  marks  of  a  free  agent. 

Alc. — Let  me  fee  !  I  was  certainly  overfeen  in  grant- 
ing it  poflible,  even  for  Almighty  Power,  to  make  fuch 
a  thing  as  a  free-agent.  I  wonder  how  I  came  to  make 
fuch  an  abfurd  conceflion,  after  what  had  been,  as  I  ob- 
ferved  before,  demonftrated  fo  many  different  ways. 

EuPH. — Certainly  whatever  is  pofhble  may  be  fuppof- 
ed :  And  whatever  doth  not  imply  a  contradiction  is  pof- 
fible  to  an  infinite  power  :  Therefore  if  a  rational  agent 
implieth  no  contradiction,  fuch  a  being  may  be  fuppofed. 
Perhaps  from  this  fuppofition  I  might  infer  man  to  be 
free  :  But  I  will  not  fuppofe  him  that  free  agent  j  fmce, 
it  feems,  you  pretend  to  have  demonftrated  the  contrary. 
O  Alctphrcriy  it  is  vulgarly  obferved,  that  men  judge  of 
others  by  themfelves.  But  in  judging  of  me  by  this 
rule,  you  may  be  miftaken.  Many  things  are  plain  to 
one  of  your  fagacity,  which  are  not  fo  to  me,  who  am 
often  puzzled  rather  than  enlightened  by  thofe  very 
proofs,  that,  with  you,  pafs  for  clear  and  evident.  And, 
indeed,  be  the  inference  never  fo  juft,  yet  fo  long  as  the 
premifes  are  not  clear,  I  cannot  be  thoroughly  convinced. 


3(58         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Pial.  VIL] 

You  muft  give  me  leave,  therefore,  to  propofe  fome  quef- 
tions,  the  folution  of  vi^hich,  may  perhaps,  fhew  what  at 
prefent  I  am  not  able  to  difcern. 

Alc — I  fhall  leave  what  hath  been  faid  with  you,  to 
confider  and  ruminate  upon.  It  now  time  to  fet  out  on 
our  journey  :  there  is,  therefore,  no  room  for  a  long 
firing  of  queftion  and  anfwer. 

XVIII.  EuPH. — I  (hall  then  only  beg  leave  in  a  fumma- 
ry  manner,  to  make  a  remark  or  two  on  what  you  have 
advanced.  In  the  firft  place,  I  obferve,  you  take  that  for 
granted  which  I  cannot  grant,  when  you  afTert  whatever 
is  certain,  the  fame  to  be  neceiTary.  To  me,  certain  and 
neceflary  feem  very  different  5  there  being  nothing  in  the 
former  notion  that  implies  conftraint,  nor  confequently 
which  may  not  confift  with  a  man's  being  unaccountable 
for  his  a£lions.  If  it  is  forefeen  that  fuch  an  adion  fhall 
be  an  efFed  of  human  choice  and  liberty :  In  the  next 
place,  I  obferve,  that  you  very  nicely  abftra£l  and  diftin- 
guifh  the  actions  of  the  mind,  judgment,  and  will :  That 
you  make  ufe  of  fuch  terms  as  power,  faculty,  ad,  deter- 
mination, indifference,  freedom,  neceflity,  and  the  like, 
as  if  they  flood  for  diflin£t  abftra£l  ideas  :  And  that  this 
fuppofition  feems  to  infnare  the  mind  into  the  fame  per- 
plexities and  errors,  which,  in  all  other  inftances,  are  ob- 
ferved  to  attend  the  do£trine  of  abflraclion.  It  is  felf-evi- 
dent,  that  there  is  fuch  a  thing  as  motion  :  And  yet  there 
have  been  found,  philofophers,  who,  by  refined  reafon- 
ing,  would  undertake  to  prove  there  was  no  fuch  thing. 
Walking  before  them  was  thought  the  proper  way  to  con- 
fute thofe  ingenious  men.  It  is  no  lefs  evident,  that  man 
is  a  free  agent :  And  though  by  abftradled  reafonings  you 
fhould  puzzle  me,  and  feem  to  prove  the  contrary,  yet  fo 
long  as  I  am  confcious  of  my  own  actions,  this  inward 
evidence  of  plain  facl,  will  bear  me  up  againft  all  your 


[Dial.  VH.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  369 

reafonings,  however  fubtle  and  refined.      The  confuting 
plain  points  by  obfcurv^  ones,  may  perhaps  convince  me  of 
the  ability  of  your  philofophers,  but  never  of  their  tenets. 
I  cannot  conceive  why  the  acute  Cratylus  ftiould  fuppofe 
a  power  of  a6ling  in  the  appetite  and  reafon,  and  none  at 
all  in  the  will.     Allowing,  I  fay,  the  diftindiion  of  three 
fuch  beings  in  the  mind,  I  do  not  fee  how  this  could  be 
true.      But  if  I  cannot  abftract   and  diftinguifh  fo  many 
beings  in  the  foul  of  man  fo  accurately  as  you  do,  I  do 
not  find  it  neceffary,  fince  it  is  evident  te  me  in  the  grofs 
and  concrete  that  I  am  a  free  agent.      Nor  will  it  avail  to 
fay,  the  will  is  governed  by  the  judgment,  or  determined 
by  the  obje(S»:,  while,  in  every  fudden  common  caufe,  I 
cannot  difcern  nor  abftrail  the  decree  of   the  judgment 
from  the  command  of  tlie  will  ;  while  I  know  the  fenfible 
objedl  to  be  abfolutely  inert  :   And  iaftly,  while  I  am  con- 
fcious  that  I  am  an  active  being,  who  can  and  do  deter- 
mine myfelf.      If  I  ftiould  fuppofe  things  fpiritual  to  be 
corporeal,  or  refine  things  a£tual  and  real  into  general 
abftra£ted  notions,  or  by   metaphyfical  fkill  fplit  things 
fimple  and  individual  into  manifold  parts,  I  do  not  know 
what  may  follow  :  But  if  I  take  things  as  they  are,  and 
afk  any  plain  untutored  man,  whether  he  a^ls  or  is  free 
in  this  or  that  particular  a6lion,  he  readily  afTents,  and  I 
as  readily  believe  him  from  what  I  find  within.      And  thus, 
by  an  indutlion  of  particulars,  I  may  conclude  man  to 
be  a  free  agent,  although  I  may  be  puzzled  to  define  or 
conceive  a  notion  of    freedom  in  general  and   abftradl. 
And  if  man  be  free,  he  is  plainly   accountable.      But  if 
you   fliall   define,  abftracl,  fuppofe,  and  it  (hall   follow 
that  according  to  your  definitions,  abn:ra£lions,  and  fup- 
pofitions,  there  can  be  no  freedom  in  man,  and  you  ftiall 
thence  infer  that  he  is  not  accountable,  I  fliall  make  bold 
to  depart  from  your  metaphyfical  abftradted  fcnfe,  and  ap- 
peal to  the  common  fenfe  of  mankind. 

Y  y 


370  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

XIX.  If  we  confider  the  notions  that  obtain  in  the 
world,  of  guilt  and  merit,  praife  and  blame,  accountable 
and  unaccountable,  we  fhall  find  the  common  queftion  in 
order  to  applaud  or  cenfure,  acquit  or  condemn  a  man,  is, 
whether  he  did  fuch  an  a<^ion  ?  and  whether  he  was  him- 
felf  when  he  did  it  ?  Which  comes  to  the  fame  thing.  It 
fhould  feem,  therefore,  that  in  the  ordinary  commerce  of 
mankind,  any  perfon  is  efteemed  accountable  fimply  as  he 
is  an  agent.  And  though  you  fhould  tell  me  that  man  is 
inactive,  and  that  the  fenfible  objects  a6t  upon  him,  yet 
my  own  experience  affures  me  of  the  contrary.  I  know 
I  acl,  and  what  I  a6!:,  I  am  accountable  for.  And  if  this 
be  true,  the  foundation  of  religion  and  morality  remains 
unfhaken.  Religion,  I  fay,  is  concerned  no  farther  than 
that  man  fhould  be  accountable  :  And  this  he  is  according 
to  my  fenfe,  and  the  common  fenfe  of  the  world,  if  he 
ads  :  And  that  he  doth  a£t  is  felf-evident.  The  grounds, 
therefore,  and  ends  of  religion  are  fecured  :  whether 
your  philofophic  notion  of  liberty  agrees  with  man's  ac- 
tions or  no  ',  And  whether  his  anions  are  certain  or  con- 
tingent j  the  queftion  being  not  whether  he  did  it  with  a 
free  will,  or  what  determined  his  will ;  not  whether  it 
was  certain  or  foreknown  that  he  would  do  it,  but  only 
whether  he  did  it  wilfully  :  As  what  muft  intitle  him  to 
the  guilt  or  merit  of  it. 

Alc. — But  ftiil  the  queftion  recurs,  whether  man  be 
free  ? 

EuPH. — To  determine  this  queftion,  ought  we  not  firft 
to  determine  what  is  meant  by  the  word  free  P 

Alc. — We  ought. 

EuPH.— In  my  opinion,  a  man  is  faid  to  be  free,  fo 
far  forth  as  he  can  do  what  he  will.     Is  this  fo,  or  is  it  not  ? 

Alc. — It  feems  fo. 

EuPH. — Man,  therefore,  adling  according  to  his  will,  is 
to  be  accounted  free. 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         371 

Alc. — This  I  admit  to  be  true,  in  the  vulgar  fenfe. 
But  a  philofopher  goes  higher,  and  inquires  whether  man 
be  free  to  will  ? 

EuPH. — That  is,  whether  he  can  will  as  he  wills  ?  I 
know  not  how  philofophical  it  may  be  to  alk  this  queftion, 
but  it  feems  very  idle.  The  notions  of  guilt,  and  merit, 
juftice,  and  reward,  are  in  the  minds  of  men,  antecedent 
to  all  metaphyfical  difquifitions  :  And  according  to  thofe 
received  natural  notions,  it  is  not  doubted  that  man  is  ac- 
countable, that  he  acts,  and  is  felf-determined. 

XX.  But  a  Minute  Philofopher  (hall,  in  virtue  of  wrong 
fuppofitions,  confound  things  moft  evidently  diftindt ;  bo- 
dy, for  inftance,  with  fpirit,  motion  with  volition,  cer- 
tainty with  neceflity  j  and  an  abftrafler,  or  refiner,  fhall  fo 
analyfe  the  moft  nmple  inftantaneous  a£l:  of  the  mind,  as 
to  diftinguifh  therein  divers  faculties  and  tendencies,  prin- 
ciples and  operations,  caufes  and  effects  ;  and  having  ab- 
ftratled,  fuppofed,  and  reafoned  upon  principles  gratui- 
tous and  obfcurc,  he  will  conclude  it  is  no  a^  at  all,  and 
man  no  agent,  but  a  puppet,  or  an  organ,  played  on  by 
outward  objects,  and  his  will  a  top  or  a  foot-ball.  And 
this  palTeth  for  philofophy  and  free-thinking.  Perhaps  this 
may  be  what  it  pafleth  for,  but  it  by  no  means  feems  a 
natural  or  juft  way  of  thinking.  To  me  it  feems,  that  if 
we  begin  from  things  particular  and  concrete,  and  thence 
proceed  to  general  notions  and  concluiions,  there  will  be 
no  difficulty  in  this  matter.  But  if  we  begin  with  gen- 
eralities, and  lay  our  foundation  in  abftradt  ideas,  we  fliall 
find  ourfelves  intangled  and  lofl:  in  a  labyrinth  of  our  own 
making.  I  need  not  obferve,  what  every  one  muft  fee, 
the  ridicule  of  proving  man  no  agent,  and  yet  pleading  for 
free  thought  and  aftion,  of  fetting  up  at  once  for  advo- 
cates of  liberty  and  neceffity.  I  have  haftily  thrown  to- 
gether thefe  hints  or  remarks,  on  what  you  call  a  funda* 


372  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

mental  article  of  the  Minute  Philofophy,  and  your  meth- 
od of  proving  it,  which  feems  to  furnifli  an  admirable  fpe- 
cimen  of  the  fophiftry  of  abflra£b  ideas.  If  in  this  fum- 
mary  way,  I  have  been  more  dogmatical  than  became  me, 
you  mull  excufe  what  you  occafioned,  by  declining  a  joint 
and  leifurely  examination  of  the  truth. 

Alc. — I  think  we  have  examined '  matters  fufficiently. 

Cri. — To  all  you  have  faid  againil  human  liberty,  it  is 
a  fufficient  anfwer  to  obferi'e,  that  your  arguments  proceed 
upon  an  erroneous  fuppofition  either  of  the  foul's  being 
corporeal,  or  of  ab(lra£l:  ideas  :  not  to  mention  other  grofs 
miitakes  and  gratuitous  principles.  You  might  as  v/ell 
fuppofe,  that  the  foul  is  red  or  blue,  as  that  it  is  folid. 
You  might  as  well  make  the  will  any  thing  elfe  as  motion. 
And  whatever  you  infer  from  fuch  premifes,  which  (to 
fpeak  in  the  fofteft  manner)  are  neither  proved  nor  probable, 
I  make  no  difficulty  to  rejeft.  You  diftinguifh  in  all  hu- 
man actions  between  the  laft  decree  of  the  judgment  and 
the  a6b  of  the  will.  You  confound  certainty  with  neceffi- 
ty.  You  inquire,  and  your  inquiry  amounts  to  an  abfurd 
queftion  :  Whether  man  can  will  as  he  wills  ?  As  evident- 
ly true  as  is  this  identical  propbfition,  fo  evidently  falfe 
muft  that  way  of  thinking  be,  which  led  you  to  make  a 
queftion  of  it.  You  fay,  the  appetites  have  by  neceffity 
of  nature  a  tendency  towards  their  refpe£tive  objefts. 
This  we  grant,  and  withal  that  appetite,  if  you  pleafe, 
is  not  free.  But  you  go  farther,  and  tell  us  the  underftand- 
ing  cannot  alter  its  idea,  nor  infer  indifferently  any  thing 
from  any  thing.  What  then  !  Can  we  not  a£t  at  all  if 
M^e  cannot  alter  the  nature  of  obje6ls,  and  may  we  not 
be  free  in  other  things  if  we  are  net  at  liberty  to  make  ab- 
furd inferences  ^  You  take  for  granted,  that  the  mind  is 
inactive,  but  that  its  ideas  a6l  upon  it :  As  if  the  contra- 
ry were  not  evident  to  every  man  of  common  fenfe,  who 
cannot  but  know,  that  it  is  the  mind  which  confiders  its 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  373 

ideas,  choofes,  reje(Els,  examines,  deliberates,  decrees,  in 
one  word,  acts  about  them,  and  not  they  about  it.  Upon 
the  whole,  your  premifes  being  obfcure  and  falfe,  the  fun- 
damental point,  which  you  pretend  to  demonftrate  fo  many 
different  ways,  proves  neither  fenfe  nor  truth  in  any.  And, 
on  the  other  hand,  there  is  not  need  of  much  inquiry  to  be 
convinced  of  two  points,  than  v/hich  none  are  more  evi- 
dent, more  obvious,  and  more  univerfally  admitted  by  men 
of  all  forts,  learned  or  unlearned,  in  all  times  and  places, 
to  wit,  that  man  acls  and  is  accountable  for  his  a^iions. 
Whatever  abftraclers,  refiners,  or  men  prejudiced  to  a 
falfe  hypothefis  may  pretend,  it  is,  if  I  miftake  not,  evi- 
dent to  every  thinking  man  of  common  fenfe,  that  human 
minds  are  fo  far  from  being  engines,  or  foot-balls,  a£led  up- 
on and  bandied  about  by  corporeal  cbje61:3,  without  any  in- 
ward principle  of  freedom  or  a£lion,  that  the  only  origi- 
nal true  notions  that  we  have  of  freedom,  agent,  or  action, 
are  obtained  by  reflecting  on  ourfelves,  and  the  operations 
of  our  own  minds.  The  fingularity  and  credulity  of  Mi- 
nute Philofophers,  who  fuffer  themfelves  to  be  abufed  by 
the  paralogifms  of  three  or  four  eminent  patriarchs  of  in- 
fidehty  in  the  laft  age,  is,  I  think,  not  to  be  matched  -, 
there  being  no  inftance  of  bigotted  fuperflltion,  the  ring- 
leaders whereof  have  been  able  to  feduce  their  followers, 
more  openly  and  more  v/idely  from  the  plain  dilates  of 
nature  and  common  fenfe. 

XXI.  Alc. — It  has  been  always  an  objedlion  againfi: 
the  difcoverers  of  truth,  that  they  depart  from  received 
opinions.  The  character  of  fingularity  is  a  tax  on  free- 
thinking  :  And  as  fuch  we  moft  willingly  bear  it,  and  glo- 
ry in  it.  A  genuine  philofopher  is  never  modell  in  a  falfe 
fenfe,  to  the  preferring  authority  before  reafon,  or  an  old 
and  common  opinion  before  a  true  one.  Which  falfe  mod- 
efty;  as  it  difcourages  men  from  treading  in  untroden  paths. 


374         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

or  ftriking  out  new  light,  is  above  all  other  qualities  the 
greatefl  enemy  to  free-thinking. 

Cri.-— Authority  in  difputable  points  will  have  its  weight 
with  a  judicious  mind,  which  yet  will  follow  evidence 
wherever  it  leads.  Without  preferring,  we  may  allow  it 
a  good  fecond  to  reafon.  Your  gentlemen,  therefore,  of 
the  Minute  Philofophy,  may  fpare  a  world  of  common 
place  upon  reafon,  and  light,  and  difcoveries.  We  are  not 
attached  to  authority  againll  reafon,  nor  afraid  of  untroden 
paths  that  lead  to  truth,  and  are  ready  to  follow  a  new 
light,  when  we  are  fure  it  is  no  ignis  fatuus.  Reafon  may 
oblige  a  man  to  believe  againft  his  inclinations  :  But  why 
fhould  a  man  quit  falutary  notions,  for  others  not  lefs  un- 
reafonable  than  pernicious  ?  Your  fchemes,  and  princi- 
ples, and  boafted  demonftrations  have  been  at  large  pro- 
pofed  and  examined.  You  have  (hifted  your  notions, 
fucceffively  retreated  from  one  fcheme  to  another,  and  in 
the  end  renounced  them  all.  Your  obje£l:ion5  have  been 
treated  in  the  fame  manner,  and  with  the  fame  event.  If 
we  except  all  that  relates  to  the  errors  and  faults  of  par- 
ticular perfons,  and  difficulties  which,  from  the  nature  of 
things,  we  are  not  obliged  to  explain  ;  it  is  furprifing  to 
fee,  after  fuch  magnificent  threats,  how  little  remains, 
that  can  amount  to  a  pertinent  objection  againft  the  chrif- 
tian  religion.  What  you  have  produced  has  been  tried  by 
the  fair  teft  of  reafon  :  And  though  you  fnould  hope  to 
prevail  by  ridicule  when  you  cannot  by  reafon,  yet  in  the 
upfhot  I  apprehend  you  will  find  it  impra£i:icable  to  de- 
ftroy  all  fenfe  of  religion.  Make  your  countrymen  ever 
fo  vicious,  ignorant,  and  profane,  men  will  ftill  be  difpo- 
fed  to  look  up  to  a  Supreme  Being.  Religion,  right  or 
wrong,  will  fubfift  in  fome  fhape  or  other,  and  fome 
worfhip  there  will  furely  be,  either  of  God  or  the 
creature.  As  for  your  ridicule,  can  any  thing  be  more 
ridiculous,  than  to  fee  the  moft  unmeaning  men  of  the 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         375 

age  fct  up  for  free-thinkers,  men  fo  ftrong  in  afiertion, 
and  yet  fo  weak  in  argument,  advocates  for  freedom  intro- 
ducing a  fatality,  patriots  trampling  on  the  laws  of  their 
country,  and  pretenders  to  virtue  dellroying  the  motives 
of  it  ?  Let  any  impartial  man  but  call  an  eye  on  the  opin- 
ions of  the  Minute  Philofophers,  and  then  fay  if  any 
thing  can  be  more  ridiculous,  than  to  believe  fuch  things, 
and  at  the  fame  time  laugh  at  credulity. 

XXII.  Lys. — Say  what  you  will,  we  have  the  laughers 
on  our  fide  :  And  as  for  your  reafoning,  I  take  it  to  be  an- 
other name  for  fophiftry. 

Cri.— And  I  fuppofe,  by  the  fame  rule,  you  take  your 
own  fophifms  for  arguments.  To  fpeak  plainly,  I  know 
no  fort  of  fophifm  that  is  not  employed  by  Minute  Philo- 
fophers againft  religion.  They  are  guilty  of  tl  Petitio  Pri?i- 
cipiiy  in  taking  for  granted  that  we  believe  contradictions  ; 
of  mn  Caufa  prs  Caufa^  in  affirming  that  uncharitable  feuds 
and  difcords  are  the  effecSls  of  chriftianity  ;  of  Ignoratio 
elenchiy  in  expelling  demonftration  where  we  pretend  on- 
ly to  faith.  If  I  was  not  afraid  to  offend  the  delicacy  of 
polite  ears,  nothing  were  eafier  than  to  affign  inftances  of 
every  kind  of  fophifm,  which  would  fhew  how  ficilful 
your  own  philofophers  are  in  the  pradice  of  that  fophiftry 
you  impute  to  others. 

EuPH. — For  my  own  part,  if  fophiftry  be  the  art  or 
faculty  of  deceiving  other  men,  I  muft  acquit  thefe  gen- 
tlemen of  it.  They  feem  to  have  led  me  a  progrefs  through 
atheifm,  libertinifm,  enthufiafm,  fatalifm,  not  to  convince 
me  of  the  truth  of  any  of  them,  fo  much  as  to  confirm 
me  in  my  own  way  of  thinking.  They  have  expofed  their 
fairy  ware  not  to  cheat  but  divert  us.  As  I  know  them 
to  be  profeiTed  mafters  of  ridicule,  fo  in  a  ferious  fenfe  I 
know  not  what  to  make  of  them. 


373         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  VII.] 

Alc. — You  do  not  knov/  what  to  make  of  us  !  I  (hould 
be  forry  you  did.  He  muft  be  a  fuperficial  philofopher 
that  is  foon  fathomed. 

XXIII.  Cri. — The  ambiguous  charadler  is,  it  feems, 
the  furs  way  to  fame  and  efteem  in  the  learned  world,  as 
it  ftands  conftituted  at  prefent.  When  the  ingenious  read- 
er is  at  a  lofs  to  determine  whether  his  author  be  atheift  or 
deift,  or  polytheill,  ftoic  or  epicurean,  fceptic  or  dogma- 
tift,  infidel  or  enthufiaft,  in  jeft  or  in  earneft,  he  concludes 
him,  without  hefitation,  to  be  enigmatical  and  profound. 
In  faft,  it  is  true  of  the  moft  admired  writers  of  the  age, 
that  no  man  alive  can  tell  what  to  make  of  them,  or  what 
they  would  be  at. 

Alc. — We  have  among  us,  moles  that  dig  deep  under 
ground,  and  eagles  that  foar  out  of  fight.  We  can  a(Sfc 
ail  parts,  and  become  all  opinions,  putting  them  on  or  off 
with  great  freedom  of  wit  and  humor. 

EupH. — It  feems  then,  you  are  a  pair  of  infcrutable,  un- 
fathomable, faflilonable  philofophers. 

Alc— -It  cannot  be  denied. 

EupH. — But,  I  remember,  you  fet  out  with  an  open 
dogmatical  air,  and  talked  of  plain  principles,  and  evident 
rejfoning,  promifed  to  make  things  as  clear  as  noon-day, 
to  extirpate  wrong  notions,  and  plant  right  in  their  Head. 
Soon  after,  you  began  to  recede  from  your  firfl  notions 
and  adopt  others  :  you  advanced  one  while,  and  retreated 
another,  yielded  and  retracted,  faid  and  unfaid  ;  And  after 
having  followed  you  through  fo  many  untroden  paths  and 
intricate  mazes,  I  find  myfclf  never  the  nearer. 

Alc. — Did  we  not  tell  you,  the  gentlemen  of  our  {cO: 
are  great  proficients  in  raillery  ? 

EuPK. — But,  methinks,  it  is  a  vain  attempt,  for  a  plain 
man  of  any  fettled  belief  or  principles  to  engage  with  fuch 
ilippery,  fugitive,  changeable  philofophers.    It  feems  as  if 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  377 

a  man  fhould  fland  Hill  in  the  fame  place,  while  his  adver- 
fary  choofes  and  changes  his  (ituation,  has  full  range  and 
liberty  to-  traverfe  the  field,  and  attack  him  on  all  fides, 
and  in  all  fliapes,  from  a  nearer  or  farther  diftance,  on 
horfeback  or  on  foot,  in  light  or  heavy  armour,  in  clofe 
fight  or  with  mifhve  weapons. 

Alc— -It  muft  be  owned,  a  gentlemen  hath  great  ad* 
vantage  over  a  flrait-laced  pedant,  or  bigot. 

EupH. — But  after  all,  what  am  I  the  better  for  the  con- 
verfation  of  two  fuch  knowing  gentlemen  ?  I  hoped  to 
have  unlearned  n\y  errors,  and  to  have  learned  truths  from 
you,  but,  to  my  great  difappointment,  I  do  not  find  that 
I  am  either  untaught  or  taught. 

Alc. — To  unteach  men  their  prejudices,  is  a  difHcuIt 
talk  :  And  this  mufl  firft  be  done,  before  we  can  pretend 
to  teach  them  the  truth.  Befides,  we  have  at  prefent  no 
time  to  prove  and  argue. 

EuPH. — But  fuppofe  my  mind  white  paper,  and  with- 
out being  at  any  pains  to  extirpate  my  opinions,  or  prove 
your  own,  only  fay  what  you  would  write  thereon,  or 
what  you  would  teach  me  in  cafe  I  were  teachable.  Be 
for  once  in  carnefl,  and  let  me  know  fome  one  conclufion 
of  yours  before  we  part :  Or  I  fhall  intreat  Crito  to  violate 
the  laws  of  hofpitality,  towards  thofe,  who  have  violated 
the  laws  of  philofophy,  by  hanging  out  falfe  lights  to  one 
benighted  in  ignorance  and  error.  I  appeal  to  you  (faid  he, 
turning  to  Crito)  whether  thefe  philofophical  knight-errants 
fhould  not  be  confined  in  this  caille  of  yours,  till  they 
make  reparation.  Euphranor  has  reafon,  faid  Crito y  and 
my  fentence  is  that  you  remain  here  in  durance,  till  you 
have  done  fomething  towards  fatisfying  the  engagement  t 
am  under,  having  promifed,  he  fhould  know  your  opin^ 
ions  from  yourfelves,  which  you  alfo  agreed  to, 

Z  z 


378  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VII.] 

XXIV.  Alc. — Since  it  muft  be  fo,  I  will  now  reveal 
what  I  take  to  be  the  fum  and  fubftance,  the  grand  arcan- 
um and  ultimate  conclufion  of  our  fe6t,  and  that  in  two 
words,  PANTA  UPOLEEPSIS. 

Cri. — You  are  then  a  downright  fceptic.  But,  fceptic 
as  you  are,  you  own  it  probable  there  is  a  God,  certain 
that  the  chriftian  religion  is  ufeful,  poffible  it  may  be  true, 
certain  that  if  it  be,  the  Minute  Phiiofophers  are  in  a  bad 
way.  This  being  the  cafe,  how  can  it  be  queftioned  what 
courfe  a  wife  man  fhould  take  ?  Whether  the  principles  of 
chriRians  or  infidels  are  trueft,  may  be.made  a  queftion, 
but  which  are  lafeft  can  be  none.  Certainly  if  you  doubt 
of  all  opinions,  you  muH:  doubt  of  your  own  :  And  then 
for  ought  you  know,  the  chriftian  may  be  true.  The 
more  doubt,  the  more  room  there  is  for  faith,  a  fceptic,  of 
all  men,  having  the  leaft  right  to  demand  evidence.  But, 
w^hatever  uncertainty  there  may  be  in  other  points,  thus 
much  is  certain  :  Either  there  is,  or  is  not  a  God  :  There 
is,  or  is  not  a  revelation :  Man  either  is,  or  is  net  an 
agent :  The  foul  is,  or  is  not  immortal.  If  the  negatives 
are  not  fure,  the  afhrmatives  are  poffible.  If  the  negatives 
are  improbable,  the  afErmatives  are  probable.  In  propor- 
tion, as  any  of  your  ingenious  men,  finds  himfeif  unable 
to  prove  any  one  of  thefe  negatives,  he  hath  grounds  to 
fufpe£t  he  may  be  miftaken.  A  Minute  Philofopher, 
therefore,  that  would  a«Sl:  a  confiftent  part,  fhould  have 
the  diffidence,  the  modefty,  and  the  timidity,  as  well  as 
the  doubts,  of  a  fceptic  5  not  pretend  to  an  ocean  of  light, 
and  then  lead  us  to  an  abyfs  of  darknefs.  If  I  have  any 
notion  of  ridicule,  this  is  moil  ridiculous.  But  your  ridi- 
culiiig  what,  for  ought  you  know,  may  be  true,  I  can 
make  no  fenfe  of.  It  is  neither  acling  as  a  wife  man, 
with  regard  to  your  own  intereft,  nor  as  a  good  man,  with 
regard  to  that  of  your  country. 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  379 

XXV.  Ttilly  faith  fomewhere,  aut  undlque  religionem 
iolle  aut  ufquequaque  conferva  :  Either  let  us  have  no  religion 
at  all,  or  let  it  be  refpe6led.  If  any  fingle  inftance  can 
be  fhewn  of  a  people,  that  ever  profpered  without  fome  re- 
ligion, or  if  there  be  any  religion,  better  than  the  chriftian, 
propofe  it  in  the  grand  aflembly  of  the  nation  to  change 
our  conftitution,  and  either  live  without  relgioin,  or  in- 
troduce that  new  religion.  A  fceptic,  as  well  as  other 
men,  is  member  of  a  community,  and  can  diftinguifh 
between  good  and  evil,  natural  or  political.  Be  this  then 
his  guide  as  a  patriot,  though  he  be  no  chriftian.  Or,  if 
he  doth  not  pretend  even  to  this  difcernment,  let  him  not 
pretend  to  correcl  or  alter,  what  he  knows  nothing  of: 
Neither  let  him  that  only  doubts,  behave  as  if  he  could  de- 
monftrate.  Timagoras  is  v/ont  to  fay,  I  find  my  country 
in  poiTeffion  of  certain  tenets  :  They  appear  to  have  an 
ufeful  tendency,  and,  as  fuch,  are  encouraged  by  the  legif- 
lature  :  They  make  a  main  part  of  our  conftitution  :  I  do 
not  find  thefe  innovators  can  difprove  theni,  or  fubftitute 
things  more  ufeful  and  certain  in  their  ftead  :  Out  of  re- 
gard, therefore,  to  the  good  of  mankind,  and  the  laws  of 
rny  country,  I  {hall  acquiefce  in  them.  I  do  not  fay 
Timagoras  is  a  chriftian,  but  I  reckon  him  a  patriot.  Not 
to  inquire  in  a  point  of  fo  great  concern,  is  folly,  but  it 
is  ftill  a  higher  degree  of  folly,  to  condemn  without  inquir- 
ing. Lyftcles  feemed  heaitily  tired  of  this  converfation.  It 
is  now  late,  faid  he  to  Alciphron,  and  all  things  are  ready 
for  our  departure.  Every  one  hath  his  own  way  of  think- 
ing :  And  it  is  as  impoflible  for  me  to  adopt  another  man's, 
as  to  make  his  complexion  and  features  mine.  Alcipkron 
pleaded  that,  having  complied  with  Ruphranor''?,  conditions, 
they  were  nov/  at  liberty  :  And  Euphranor  anfwered  that, 
all  he  defired,  having  been  to  know  their  tenets,  he  had 
nothing  further  to  pretend. 


38o         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  VII.} 

XXVI.  The  philofophers  being  gone,  I  obferved  to 
Crko  how  unaccountable  it  was,  tliat  men  fo  eafy  to  con- 
fute fhould  yet  be  fo  difficult  to  convince.  This,  faid  Crito^ 
is  accounted  for  by  Arijlctle^  who  tells  us  that  arguments 
have  not  an  eff^rft  on  all  men,  but  only  on  them  whofe 
minds  are  prepared  by  education  and  cuftom,  as  land  is 
for  Seed.*  Make  a  point  never  fo  clear,  it  is  great  odds, 
that  a  man,  v/hofe  habits  and  the  bent  of  whofe  mind  lie 
a  contrary  way,  (hall  be  unable  to  comprehend  it.  So 
weak  a  thing  is  reafon  in  competition  with  inclination.  I 
replied,  this  anfwer  might  hold  with  refpe6l  to  other  per- 
fons  and  other  times  :  But  when  the  queflion  was  of 
inquifitive  men,  in  an  age,  wherein  reaf::)n  was  fo  much 
cultivated,  and  thinking  fo  much  in  vogue,  it  did  not  feem 
fatisfaftory.  I  have  knov/n  it  remarked,  faid  Crito^  by  a  man 
of  muchobfervation,  that  in  theprsfentage,  thinking  is  more 
talked  of,  but  lefs  pra6lifed,  than  in  ancient  times  :  And  that 
fince  the  revival  of  learning,  men  have  read  much  and 
wrote  much,  but  thought  little  :  Infomuch  that  with  us  to 
think  clofelyand  juftly,  is  the  Icaft  part  of  a  learned  man, 
and  none  at  all  of  a  polite  man.  The  free-thinkers,  it 
muft  be  owned,  make  great  pretenfions  to  thinking,  and 
yet  they  fhew  but  little  exaftnefs  in  it.  A  lively  man, 
and  what  the  world  calls  a  man  of  fenfe,  are  often  deftitute 
of  this  talent  \  which  is  not  a  mere  gift  of  nature,  but* 
muft  be  improved  and  perfected,  by  much  attention  and 
exercife  on  very  different  fubjecrs  :  A  thing  of  more  pains 
and  time,  than  the  hafty  men  of  parts  in  our  age  care  to 
lake.  Such  were  the  fentiments  of  a  judicious  friend: 
And,  if  you  are  not  already  fuiiicientiy  convinced  of  thefe 
truths,  you  need  only  caft  an  eye  on  the  dark  and  confuf- 
ed,  but  neverthelefs  admired  v/riters  of  this  famous  fe£t : 
And  then    you  will    be   able  to  judge,    whether    thofe 

*  f  thic.  ad  Nicom.  i.  lo.  c.  9. 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         381 

•who  are  led  by  men  of  fuch  wrong  heads,  can  have  very 
good  ones  of  their  own.  Such,  for  inftance,  was  Spimfa, 
the  great  leader  of  our  modern  infidels,  in  whom  are  to 
be  found  many  fchemes  and  notions,  much  admired  and 
followed  of  late  years :  Such  as  undermining  religion, 
under  the  pretence  of  vindicating  and  explaining  it :  The 
maintaining  it,  not  neceflary  to  believe  in  Chrift  according 
to  the  flefh  :  The  perfuading  men,  that  miracles  are  to  be 
underftood  only  in  a  fpiritual  and  alegorical  fenfe :  That 
vice  is  not  fo  bad  a  thing  as  we  are  apt  to  think  :  That  men 
are  mere  ma(;liines,  impelled  by  fatal  necefiity.  I  have 
heard,  faid  I,  Spinofa  reprefented  as  a  man  of  clofe  argu- 
ment and  demonftration.  He  did,  replied  Crito^  dempn- 
ftrate  j  but  it  was  after  fuch  a  manner,  as  any  one  may 
demonftrate  any  thing.  Allow  a  man  the  privilege  to 
make  his  own  definitions  of  common  words,  and  it  will 
be  no  hard  matter  for  him  to  infer  conclufions,  which  in 
one  fenfe  fhall  be  true,  and  in  another  falfe,  at  once 
feeming  paradoxes  and  manifeft  truifms.  For  example, 
let  but  Spinofa  define  natural  right  to  be  natural  power, 
and  he  will  eafily  demonflrate,  that  nvhatever  a  man  can 
do,  he  hath  a  right  to  do.  *  Nothing  can  be  plainer  than 
the  folly  of  this  proceeding  •,  but  our  pretenders  to  the 
lumen  ficcumy  are  fo  pailionately  prejudiced  againft  reli- 
gion, as  to  fwallow  the  grofleft  nonfenfe  and  fophiftry 
of  weak  and  wicked  wiiters  for  demonftration. 

XXVII.  And  fo  great  a  noife  do  thefe  men  make,  with 
their  thinking,  reafoning,  and  demonflvating,  as  to  prej- 
udice fome  welUnieaning  perfons  againft  all  ufe  and  im- 
provement of  reafon.  Honeft  Demea,  having  feen  a 
neighbor  of  his  ruined  by  the  vices  of  a  free-thinking 
fon,  contracted  fuch  a  prejudice  againft  thinking,  that 
he  would  not  fuffcr  his  own  to  read  Euclid^  being  told  it 

•  Tra.<lat-  Politic,  c.  5, 


382         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

might  teach  him  to  think  j  till  a  friend  convinced  him 
the  epidemical  diftemper  was  not  thinking,  but  only  the 
want  and  afFeflation  of  it.  I  know  an  eminent  free- 
thinker, who  never  goes  to  bed,  without  a  gallon  of  wine 
in  his  belly,  and  is  fure  to  replenifli  before  the  fumes  arc 
off  his  brain,  by  which  means  he  has  not  had  one  fober 
thought  thefe  (ev^n  years ;  another,  that  would  not  for 
the  world,  lofe  the  privilege  and  reputation  of  free-think- 
ing, who  games  all  night,  and  lies  in  bed  all  day  :  And 
as  for  the  outfide,  or  appearance  of  thought  in  that  mea- 
gre Minute  Philofopher,  IbyaiSy  it  is  an  efFe<^,  not  of 
thinking,  but  of  carking,  cheating,  and  writing  in  an 
office.  Strange,  faid  he,  that  fuch  men  (hould  fet  up 
for  free-thinkers  !  But  it  is  yet  more  flrange,  that  other 
men  ftiould  be  out  of  conceit  with  thinking  and  reafon- 
ing,  for  the  fake  of  fuch  pretenders.  I  anfwered,  that 
fome  good  men  conceived  an  oppofition  between  reafon 
and  religion,  faith  and  knowledge,  nature  and  grace ; 
and  that,  confequently,  the  way  to  promote  religion, 
was  to  quench  the  light  of  nature,  and  difcourage  all 
rational  inquiry. 

XXVIII.  How  right  the  intentions  of  thefe  men  may  be, 
replied  CritOy  I  fliall  not  fay  ;  but  furely  their  notions  are 
very  wrong.  Can  any  thing  be  more  difhonorable  to  re- 
ligion, than  the  reprefenting  it  as  an  unreafonable,  unnat- 
ural, ignorant  inftitution  ^  God  is  the  Father  of  all  lights, 
whether  natural  or  revealed.  Natural  concupifence  is  one 
thing,  and  the  light  of  nature  another.  You  cannot, 
therefore,  argue  from  the  former  againft  the  latter  :  Nei- 
ther can  you  from  fcience,  falfely  fo  called,  againft  real 
knowledge.  Whatever,  therefore,  is  faid  of  the  one  in 
Holy  Scripture,  is  not  to  be  interpreted  of  the  other.  I 
infifted  that  human  learning  in  the  hands  of  divines,  had 
from  time  to  time   created-  great  difputes  and  divifions  in 


[Dial.  VII.]    MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         383 

the  church.  As  ab{lra£ted  metaphyfics,  replied  Crito, 
have  always  had  a  tendency  to  produce  difputes  among 
chriftiansj  as  well  as  other  men  j  fo  it  fhould  feem,  that 
genuine  truth  and  knowledge  would  allay  this  humor, 
which  makes  men  facrilice  the  undifputed  duties  of  peace 
and  charity  to  difputable  notions.  After  all,  faid  I,  what- 
ever may  be  faid  for  reafon,  it  is  plain,  the  fceptics  and 
infidels  of  the  age  are  not  to  be  cured  by  it.  I  will  not 
difpute  this  point,  faid  Crito  ;  in  order  to  cure  a  diftem- 
per,  you  (hould  confider  what  produced  it.  Had  men 
reafoned  themfelves  into  a  wrong  opinion,  one  might  hope 
to  reafon  them  out  of  it.  But  this  is  not  the  cafe  *,  the 
infidelity  of  Minute  Philofophers  feeming  an  efFe£l  of 
very  different  motives  from  thought  and  reafon.  Little 
incidents,  vanity,  difguft,  humor,  inclination,  without 
the  lead  affiftance  from  reafon,  are  often  known  to  make 
infidels.  Where  the  general  tendency  of  a  dodrine  is 
difagreeable, ,  the  mind  is  prepared  to  rehfli  and  improve 
every  thing  that  with  the  leaft  pretence  feems  to  make 
againft  it.  Hence  the  coarfe  manners  of  a  country  cu- 
rate, the  polite  manners  of  a  chaplain,  the  wit  of  a  Mi- 
nute Philofopher,  a  jeft,  a  fong,  a  tale  can  ferve  inftead 
of  a  reafon  for  infidelity.  Bupalus  preferred  a  rake  in  the 
church,  and  then  made  ufe  of  him  as  an  argument  againft 
it.  Vice,  indolence,  faction,  and  fafhion  produce  Mi- 
nute Philofophers,  and  mere  petulancy,  not  a  few.— 
Who  then  can  expect  a  thing  fo  irrational  and  capricious 
fliould  yield  to  reafon  ?  It  may,  neverthelefs,  be  wortli 
while  to  argue  againft  fuch  men,  and  expofe  their  falla- 
cies, if  not  for  their  own  fake,  yet  for  the  fake  of  others  ; 
as  it  may  leflen  their  credit,  and  prevent  the  growth  of 
their  fe£l;,  by  removing  a  prejudice  in  their  favor,  which 
fometimes  inclines  others  as  well  as  themfelves  to  think 
they  have  made  a  monopoly  of  human  reafon. 


3S4  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  Vll.j 

XXIX.  The  moft  general  pretext  which  looks  like 
reafon,  is  taken  from  the  variety  of  opinions  about  re- 
ligion. This  is  a  refting  ftone  to  a  lazy  and  fuperjdcial 
mind.  But  one  of  m.ore  fpirit  and  a  jufter  way  of 
thinking,  makes  it  a  ftep  whence  he  looks  about,  and 
proceeds  to  examine,  and  compare  the  differing  inftitu- 
tions  of  religion.  He  will  obferve,  which  of  thefe  is 
the  moft  fublime  and  rational  in  its  doctrines,  moft  ven- 
erable in  its  myfteries,  moft  ufeful  in  its  precepts,  moft 
decent  in  its  worftiip  ?  Which  createth  the  nobleft  hopes, 
and  moft  worthy  views  ?  He  will  confider  their  rife  and 
progrefs,  which  oweth  leaft  to  human  arts  or  arms  ? 
Which  flatters  the  fenfes  and  grofs  inclinations  of  men  ? 
Which  adorns  and  improves  the  moft  excellent  part  of 
our  nature  ?  Which  hath  been  propagated  in  the  moft 
wonderful  manner  ?  Which  hath  furmounted  the  greateft 
difficulties,  or  fhev/ed  the  moft  difinterefted  zeal  and  fm- 
cerity  in  its  profeftbrs  ?  He  will  inquire,  which  beft 
accords  with  nature  and  hiftory  ?  He  will  confider,  what 
favours  of  the  world,  and  what  looks  like  wifdom  from 
above  ?  He  will  be  careful  to  feparate  human  allay  from 
that  which  is  divine  ;  and  upon  the  whole,  form  his 
judgment  like  a  reafonable  free-thinker.  But  inftead  of 
taking  fuch  a  rational  courfe,  one  of  thofe  hafty  fceptics 
fhall  conclude  without  demurring,  that  there  is  no  wif- 
dom in  politics,  no  honefty  in  dealings,  no  knowledge  in 
philofophy,  no  truth  in  religion  :  And  all  by  one  and  the 
fame  fort  of  inference,  from  the  numerous  examples  of 
folly,  knavery,  ignorance,  and  error,  which  are  to  be 
met  with  in  the  world.  But,  as  thofe,  who  are  unknow- 
ing in  every  thing  elfe,  imagine  themfelves  ftiarp-fighted 
in  religion,  this  learned  fophifm  is  ofteneft  levelled  againft 
rhriftianity. 


[Dial.  VII.]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         385 

XXX.  In  my  opinion,  he  that  would  convince  an 
infidel,  who  can  be  brought  to  reafon,  ought  in  the  firft 
place,  clearly  to  convince  him  of  the  being  of  a  God,  it 
feeming  to  me,  that  any  man,  who  is  really  a  theift,  can- 
not be  an  enemy  to  the  chriftian  religion  :  And  that  the 
ignorance  or  difbelief  of  this  fundamental  point,  is  that 
which,  at  bottom,  conftitutes  the  Minute  Philofopher. 
I  imagine  they,  who  are  acquainted  with  the  great  authors 
in  the  Minute  Philofophy,  need  not  be  told  of  this.  The 
being  of  a  God  is  capable  of  clear  proof,  and  a  proper 
object  of  human  reafon  :  whereas,  the  myfteries  of  his 
nature,  and  indeed,  whatever  there  is  of  myftery  in  re- 
ligion, to  endeavor  to  explain  and  prove  by  reafon,  is  a 
vain  attempt.  It  is  fufficient,  if  we  can  (liew  there  is 
nothing  abfurd,  or  repugnant  in  our  belief  of  thofe 
points,  and,  inftead  of  framing  hypothefis  to  explain 
them,  we  ufe  our  reafon  only  for  anfwering  the  objec- 
tions brought  againft  them.  But,  on  all  occafions,  we 
ought  to  diftinguifli  the  ferious,  modeft,  ingenuous  man 
of  fenfc,  who  hath  fcruples  about  religion,  and  behaves 
like  a  prudent  man  in  doubt,  from  the  Minute  Philofo- 
phers,  thofe  profane  and  conceited  men,  who  muft  needs 
profelyte  others  to  their  own  doubts.  When  one  of  this 
ftamp  prefents  himfelf,  we  fhould  confider  what  fpecies 
he  is  of  :  Whether  a  firfl  or  a  fecond-hand  philofopher, 
a  libertine,  fcorner,  or  fceptic  ?  Each  character  requiring 
a  peculiar  treatment.  Some  men  are  too  ignorant  to  be 
humble,  without  which,  there  can  be  no  docility  :  But 
though  a  man  muft,  in  fome  degree,  have  thought,  and 
confidered,  to  be  capable  of  being  convinced,  yet  it  is 
poffible  the  moft  ignorant  may  be  laughed  out  of  his 
opinions.  I  knew  a  woman  of  fenfe,  reduce  two  Mi- 
nute Philofophers,  who  had  been  long  a  nuifance  to  the 
neighborhood,  by  taking  her  cue  from  their  predominant 
affectations.  The  one  fet  up  for  the  moft  incredulous 
A  a  a 


386         MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.  [Dial.  VIL] 

man  upon  eartii,  the  other  for  the  moil  unbounded  free- 
dom. She  obferved  to  the  firft,  that  he,  v/ho  had  cre- 
dulity fufEcient  to  truft  the  moft  valuable  things,  his  life 
and  fortune,  to  his  apothecary  and  lawyer,  ridiculoully 
afFex^ed  the  chara^ler  of  incredulous,  by  refufmg  to 
trull  his  foul,  a  thing  in  his  own  account  but  a  mere  tri- 
fle, to  his  parilh-prieft.  The  other  being  what  you  call  a 
beau,  (he  made  fenfible  how  abfolute  a  flave  he  was  in 
point  of  drefs,  to  him  the  moft  important  thing  in  the 
world,  while  he  was  earneflly  contending  for  a  liberty  of 
thinking,  with  which  he  never  troubled  hi&  head  ;  and, 
how  much  more  it  concerned,  and  became  him,  to  aflert 
an  independency  on  fafhion,  and  obtain  fcope  for  his 
genius,  where  it  was  beft  qualified  to  exert  itfelf.  The 
Minute  Philofophers,  at  firft  hand,  are  very  few,  and, 
confidered  in  themfelves,  of  fmall  confequence  :  But  their 
followers,  who  pin  their  faith  upon  them,  are  numerous, 
and  not  lefs  confident  than  credulous ;  there  being  fome- 
thing  in  the  air  and  manner  of  thefe  fecond-h'and  philo- 
fophers, very  apt  to  diiconcert  a  man  of  gravity  and  ar- 
gument, and  much  more  difficult  to  be  bore  than  the 
weight  of  their  cbjedions. 

XXXI.  Crito  having  made  an  end,  Euphranor  declar- 
ed it  to  be  his  opinion,  that  it  would  much  conduce  to 
the  public  benefit,  if,  inftead  of  difcouraging  free-think- 
ing, there  v/as  erected  in  the  midft  of  this  free  country, 
a  dianoetic  academy,  or  feminary  for  free-thinkers,  pro- 
vided with  retired  chambers,  and  galleries,  and  fhady 
walks,  and  groves  ♦,  where,  after  feven  years  fpent  in 
filcnce  and  meditation,  a  man  might  commence  a  genuine 
free-thinker,  and  from  that  time  forward,  have  licence  to 
think  what  he  pleafed,  and  a  badge  to  diftinguifli  him 
from  counterfeits.  In  good  carneft,  faid  CritOy  I  ima- 
gine that  thinking  is  the  great  deftderatum  of  the  prefent 


[Dial.  VIL]  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.         387 

age :  and  that  the  real  caufe  of  whatever  is  amifs,  may 
juftly  be  reckoned  the  general  negledl  of  education,  in 
thofe  who  need  it  moft,  the  people  of  fafnion.  What 
can  be  expefted  where  thofe,  who  have  the  rnofc  influence, 
have  the  lead  fenfe,  and  thofe  who  are  fare  to  be  follow- 
ed, fet  the  worft  example  ?  Where  youth  fo  uneducated 
are  yet  fo  forward  ?  Where  modefly  is  efteemed  pufilla- 
nimity,  and  a  deference  to  years,  knowledge,  religion, 
laws,  want  of  fenfe  and  fpirit  ?  Such  untimely  growth 
of  genius  would  not  have  been  valued,  or  encouraged  by 
the  wife  men  of  antiquity  ;  whofe  fentiments  on  this  point 
are  fo  ill  fuited  to  the  genius  of  cur  times,  that  it  is  to  be 
feared,  modern  ears  could  not  bear  them.  But,  how- 
ever ridiculous  fuch  maxims  might  feem  to  our  Britijh 
youth,  who  are  fo  capable  and  fo  forward  to  try  experi- 
ments, and  mend  the  conftitution  of  their  country  :  I 
believe  it  will  be  admitted  by  men  of  fenfe,  that  if  the 
governing  part  of  mankind,  would  in  thefe  days,  for  ex- 
periment's fake,  confider  themfelves  in  that  old  Homerical 
light  as  paftors  of  the  people,  whofe  duty  it  was  to  im- 
prove their  flock,  they  would  foon  find,  that  this  is  to  be 
done  by  an  education,  very  different  from  the  modern, 
and  otherguefs  maxims,  than  thofe  of  the  Minute  Philo- 
fophy.  If  our  youth  were  really  inured  to  thought  and 
reflexion,  and  an  acquaintance  with  the  excellent  writers 
of  antiquity,  we  fhould  fee  that  licentious  humour,  vul- 
garly called  free-thinkingy  banifhed  from  the  prefence  of 
gentlemen,  together  with  ignorance  and  ill  taile  ;  whicli, 
as  they  are  infeparable  from  vice,  fo  men  follow  vice  for 
the  fake  of  pleafiire,  and  fly  from  virtue,  through  an  ab- 
horrence of  pain.  Their  minds,  therefore,  betimes  fhould 
be  formed  and  accuitomed  to  receive  pleafure  and  pain 
from  proper  objefts,  or,  which  is  the  fame  thing, 
to  have  their  inclinations  and  averfions  rightly  placed. 
Kalos   chairein   e   nufein.      This,   according  to  Plato  and 


388  MINUTE  PHILOSOPHER.   [Dial.  VII.] 

Artftctley  was  the  crthe  paideiay  the  right  education.  * 
And  thofe,  who,  in  their  own  minds,  their  health,  or 
their  fortunes,  feel  the  curfed  effecls  of  a  wrong  one, 
would  do  v^ell  to  confider,  they  cannot  better  make 
amends  for  what  was  amifs  in  themfelves,  than  by  pre- 
venting the  fame  in  their  pofterity.  While  Crito  was 
faying  this,  company  came  in,  which  put  an  end  to  our 
convcrfation. 

*  Plato  in   Protag.    &  Arlftot.  ethic,     ad   Nicom.    1.    a.    c.    Z.    & 
J.  lo.  c.  9. 


FINIS, 


BOOKS, 

Adapted  to  the  ufe  of  Gentlemen  in  the  different  profejficnsy 
and  all  claffes  of  Citizens^  regularly  imported^  puhlifhed^ 
andfoldy  by  INCREASE  CoOKE  ^  Co.  South  corner  of  the 
Greeny  NeW'Haven, 


AMONG    BOOKS    LATELY    ARRIVED,    ARE    THE    FOLLOWING. 

AMILY  BIBLES,  folio,  with  references,  apocrypha, 
and  plates — and  almod  every  edition  of  the  Bible  to 
be  found  in  the  Englilh  language. 

Henry's  Commemtaries,  or  an  expofition  of  all  the  books 
of  the  Old  and  New  Tcftaments,  6  Vols.  4to. 

Macknight  on  the  Epiftles,  with  notes,  philofophical, 
critical,  explanatory  and  pradlical,   3  Vols.  410. 

Cruden's  &  Butterworth's  Complete  Concordances  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  4to.  and  8vo.  lateft  editions. 

Owen's  Expofition  of  the  Epiftles  to  the  Hebrews,  with 
a  full  and  interefting  Life  of  the  Author.  4  Vols.   8vo. 

Newton's  Works,  containing  Letters,  Sermons,  Cardi- 
phonia,  Meffiah,  a  Review  of  Ecc.  Hiftory,  Hymns, 
and  Mifcellaneous  Pieces,  9  Vols.    1 2mo. 

Doddridge's  Family  Expofitor,  with  critical  notes  and 
improvement  of  each  fection,  and  the  Life  of  the  Au- 
thor, 6  Vols.   8vo. 

's  Leftures  on  the  principal  fubje61:s  in  Pneuma- 

tology,  Ethics,    and  Divinity,   with  references  to  the 
mod  confiderable  Authors  an  each  fubjecl,  2  Vols.  8vo. 

Lbighton's  Expofitory  Works  on  the  firft  Epiftle  of  Peter, 
with  other  remains,   2  Vols.   8vo. 

More's  (Hannah)  Works  complete  in  8  Vols.    1 2mo. 

Guye's  Piacllcal  Expofitor,   with  notes,  6  Vols.   8vo. 

Erskine's  Works,  confifting  of  Sermons  and  Poems,  10 
Vols.   8vo. 

Mosheim's  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory,  antient  and  modern,  with 

notes  &c.  new  edi,  6.  Vols.  8vo. 


BOOKS. 

Stackhouse's  Hiftory  of  the  Bible,  6  Vols.   8vo. 

Clarke  on  the  Gofpels,  Boudinot's  Age  of  Revelation, 

"Willison's  Works. 

Sermons  and  Discourses Blair's — Sawrin's Bouda- 

loue's— Taylor's — Balguye's — Cooper's — Atterbury's — 
M^Goawn's — Boucher's—Emmon's — Clarke's — Strong's 
Perkin's—Backus's—Trumbull's— White's— Cole's,  and 
various  others. 

Willich's  Domeftic  Encyclopedia,  4  Vols.   8vo. 

Anacharsis'  Travels,  with  one  Vol.  of  Maps.  4  Vols.  8vo. 

Henry's  Hiftory  of  Great  Britain,  6  Vols.   8vo. 

New  System  of  Natural  Hiftory,  6  Vols.   8vo. 

Rollin's  Antient  Hiftory,   to  Vols.    izmo. 

Gregory's  Economy  of  Nature,  5  Vols.   8vo. 

Medical  Extracts,  vi^ith  numerous  Plates,  4  Vols.  8vo. 

Furguson's  Roman  Republic.   5  Vols.   8vo. 

Watson's  Philip  2d.  and  3d.   5  Vols.   8vo. 

Robison's  America — Charles  5th, — Scotland— and  India, 
II  Vols.   8vo. 

Chalmer's  Eftimate,   i  Vol.   8vo. 

Adams'  Philofophical  Lectures,  5  Vols.   Svo. 

Burke's  Works,  3  Vols.  Svo. 

Bissot's  Life  of  Burke,  2  Vols.   Svo. 

Gibbon's  Rife  and  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire.  1 2  Vols.  8vo, 

Shakespeare's  Works,  various  editions. 

Heron's  Journey,   2  Vols.  Svo, 

The  Federalist,  new  edition,  2  Vols.   Svo. 

Murphy's  Tacitus,  4  Vols.  Svo. 

Garnett's  Annals  of  Philofophy,  8  Vols.   Svo. 

Curiosities  of  Literature,    i  Vol.   Svo. 

Young's  Hiftory  of  France,  3  Vols.   Svo. 

Pausaneous'  Hiftory  of  Greece,   3  Vols.   Bvo. 

Goldsmith's  Rome — England  and  Greece — The  Poetic 
Works  of  Pope — Milton — Young— Thompfon — Barnes 
Gray — Cowper — Dryden — Beatie — Bloom  field — Fal- 
coner— Pomphret — Blair — Johnfon,  and  various  others. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


OISCHARG 


i-\k 


JUM  ;  3  19| 
wet) 


lU 


Ul-U!« 


JULSO 


198S 


RL 


PSD  2343    9/77 

y        '^omWi^      '"^omiWi^       ^nwmm^     ^^iim\m 


AWEUNIVER%.        vS:lOSANCElfj]> 


,^WEUNIVERS'/A       ^lOSANCElfj-^ 


^^ILIBRARYQ^. 


30 


^QPCALIFO/?;^ 


^ 


'^«;/ojiiv3jo>* 


Kf/odnv3jo^ 


% 


^ -..^^  III!  II  mill  nil     m„i„,n,niiiiiiiiiiii|ii 

3  1158  00329  2421 


OFCALIF0%        .^ 
-     - — ^  %     ^ 


'o\mm\n'^ 


OFCALIFO/?/, 


"^^^AHvaaiH^ 


vWEUNIVERi, 


^j:?i3onvsoi^     %a3AiNn3WV 


'a 


^mmms-^ 


,WEUNIVER5y^ 

'a 


J 

ril3DNVS01^ 


"^AaaAiNH-awv^ 


o^.lOSANCElfj'^ 


"^/^aaAiNniwv 


^ILIBRARYO^ 


^ILlBRARYOc 


^<?Ayvaan#'      ^CAavaan-^^ 


^lilBRARYQ^         ^lllBRARYQr 


K!/OJI1V3JO'^ 


.^ME•UNIVERS/A 


^lOSANCElfj> 


'<rii]ONvsoi^     %a3AiNa-3WV^ 


^OFCALI  F0/?,|^       ^OFCAil  FOMi|^ 


^AHvaani^      ^^AyvaaiH^ 


.^\^EUNIVER%. 


o 
<ril3DNVS01^ 


^lOSANGElfj^, 


^/saaAiNomv 


^WEUNIVERS/^       ^vlOSANCElfx^ 


'^iiaONVSOl^        %a3AINn-3WV 


-^;;^l•LIBRARY^^^       -^lUBRARYQ/v 


^WEUNIVER% 

^9   O  /$" 


^lOSANGElfj-^ 


^OFCAIIFO/?^       ^OFCAllFOff^ 


4^: 


